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Little Patuxent River near Savage

Highest listed crest 25.40 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft65 crests since 1933

The Little Patuxent River near Savage crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 65 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1933 to 2024. The highest, 25.40 ft on June 22, 1972, was major flooding, 15.40 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Little Patuxent River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.40 ft
June 22, 1972; 35,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
1
32nd of 108 gauges in Maryland
Most recent flood crest
January 10, 2024
13.00 ft, minor flooding
Location
Howard County
Near Laurel (3.6 mi), Greenbelt (10.3 mi), College Park (11.5 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Little Patuxent River near Savage
Action stage8.017Aug 28, 2011The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.034Jan 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.013Jun 4, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.01Jun 22, 1972Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

65 crests from 1933 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Little Patuxent River near Savage, 1933 to 2024 51015202530ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Aug 1, 1933: 17.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 1943: 8.58 ft, action stage; 3,040 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1943: 9.35 ft, action stage; 3,480 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 1945: 12.14 ft, minor flooding; 5,080 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1948: 9.10 ft, action stage; 3,320 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1952: 13.15 ft, minor flooding; 6,280 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1952: 10.42 ft, minor flooding; 4,580 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1955: 12.95 ft, minor flooding; 6,150 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1956: 9.14 ft, action stage; 3,130 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1961: 8.71 ft, action stage; 3,560 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1962: 9.41 ft, action stage; 3,980 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1963: 8.16 ft, action stage; 3,230 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1964: 9.09 ft, action stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 1966: 9.50 ft, action stageJan 14, 1968: 9.34 ft, action stageJun 22, 1972: 25.40 ft, major flooding; 35,400 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1975: 16.74 ft, moderate flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1976: 10.85 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1978: 12.90 ft, minor flooding; 6,900 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1979: 15.59 ft, moderate flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1979: 9.70 ft, action stage; 3,640 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1986: 10.59 ft, minor flooding; 3,180 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1988: 9.64 ft, action stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1989: 14.87 ft, moderate flooding; 8,380 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 1989: 8.90 ft, action stage; 1,990 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1991: 10.71 ft, minor flooding; 3,290 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1992: 10.19 ft, minor flooding; 3,140 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1993: 14.21 ft, moderate flooding; 7,910 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 14.10 ft, moderate flooding; 7,750 cubic feet per secondNov 8, 1996: 13.89 ft, minor flooding; 7,440 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1998: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 5,460 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 13.27 ft, minor flooding; 6,580 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2000: 9.20 ft, action stage; 2,330 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2001: 12.30 ft, minor flooding; 5,340 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2003: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 6,110 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2003: 12.83 ft, minor flooding; 6,000 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 2005: 11.61 ft, minor flooding; 4,550 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2006: 18.74 ft, moderate flooding; 16,400 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2006: 11.78 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2008: 10.98 ft, minor flooding; 3,530 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 2008: 8.46 ft, action stage; 1,690 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 2010: 11.44 ft, minor flooding; 4,030 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2011: 9.46 ft, action stageAug 28, 2011: 9.48 ft, action stageSep 7, 2011: 16.15 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 2011: 10.28 ft, minor flooding; 3,040 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2012: 15.96 ft, moderate flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2013: 11.62 ft, minor flooding; 4,271 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2014: 17.97 ft, moderate flooding; 14,700 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2014: 12.43 ft, minor flooding; 5,203 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2015: 12.00 ft, minor flooding; 4,670 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2015: 13.06 ft, minor flooding; 5,995 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2016: 10.56 ft, minor flooding; 3,228 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 2016: 18.52 ft, moderate flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 2017: 13.56 ft, minor flooding; 6,641 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2018: 16.31 ft, moderate flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2018: 15.06 ft, moderate flooding; 8,999 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2018: 10.59 ft, minor flooding; 3,310 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 2018: 12.27 ft, minor flooding; 4,935 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2019: 12.02 ft, minor flooding; 4,625 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 2019: 10.04 ft, minor flooding; 2,853 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2021: 11.06 ft, minor flooding; 3,707 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2022: 11.58 ft, minor flooding; 4,201 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 12.27 ft, minor flooding; 4,935 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 13.00 ft, minor flooding; 5,840 cubic feet per second Highest, 25.40 ft, Jun 22, 1972 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Little Patuxent River near Savage 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 5 1980s: 2 1990s: 7 2000s: 7 2010s: 18 18 2020s: 4 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 65 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Little Patuxent River near Savage
1Jun 22, 197225.40+15.40Major35,400
2Jun 26, 200618.74+8.74Moderate16,400
3Jul 31, 201618.52+8.52Moderate15,900
4May 1, 201417.97+7.97Moderate14,700
5Aug 1, 193317.50+7.50Moderate—
6Sep 26, 197516.74+6.74Moderate12,300
7May 28, 201816.31+6.31Moderate11,400
8Sep 7, 201116.15+6.15Moderate11,000
9Oct 30, 201215.96+5.96Moderate10,600
10Sep 6, 197915.59+5.59Moderate10,400
11Jun 4, 201815.06+5.06Moderate8,999
12May 6, 198914.87+4.87Moderate8,380
13Nov 28, 199314.21+4.21Moderate7,910
14Jan 19, 199614.10+4.10Moderate7,750
15Nov 8, 199613.89+3.89Minor7,440
16Jul 29, 201713.56+3.56Minor6,641
17Sep 16, 199913.27+3.27Minor6,580
18Sep 1, 195213.15+3.15Minor6,280
19Jun 28, 201513.06+3.06Minor5,995
20Jan 10, 202413.00+3.00Minor5,840
21Aug 13, 195512.95+2.95Minor6,150
22Sep 23, 200312.92+2.92Minor6,110
23Jan 26, 197812.90+2.90Minor6,900
24Dec 11, 200312.83+2.83Minor6,000
25May 16, 201412.43+2.43Minor5,203
26Mar 9, 199812.40+2.40Minor5,460
27Jun 23, 200112.30+2.30Minor5,340
28Dec 16, 201812.27+2.27Minor4,935
29Dec 18, 202312.27+2.27Minor4,935
30Jul 18, 194512.14+2.14Minor5,080
31Mar 22, 201912.02+2.02Minor4,625
32May 19, 201512.00+2.00Minor4,670
33Nov 16, 200611.78+1.78Minor4,360
34Jun 11, 201311.62+1.62Minor4,271
35Jan 14, 200511.61+1.61Minor4,550
36Jun 9, 202211.58+1.58Minor4,201
37Mar 13, 201011.44+1.44Minor4,030
38Oct 30, 202111.06+1.06Minor3,707
39May 12, 200810.98+0.98Minor3,530
40Jan 1, 197610.85+0.85Minor4,700
41Mar 23, 199110.71+0.71Minor3,290
42Dec 25, 198610.59+0.59Minor3,180
43Nov 25, 201810.59+0.59Minor3,310
44Feb 25, 201610.56+0.56Minor3,228
45Nov 22, 195210.42+0.42Minor4,580
46Dec 8, 201110.28+0.28Minor3,040
47Nov 23, 199210.19+0.19Minor3,140
48Nov 1, 201910.04+0.04Minor2,853
49Oct 1, 19799.70−0.30Action3,640
50Jan 20, 19889.64−0.36Action2,460

The worst floods along the Little Patuxent River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Little Patuxent River that crested above flood stage within a week.

June 22, 1972: 25.40 ft here, major flooding

  • GuilfordMD · Jun 22, 1972 · 18.38 ft · Moderate · its highest

June 26, 2006: 18.74 ft here, moderate flooding

  • GuilfordMD · Jun 25, 2006 · 15.09 ft · Minor

July 31, 2016: 18.52 ft here, moderate flooding

  • GuilfordMD · Jul 31, 2016 · 14.97 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Little Patuxent River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Little Patuxent River
AllviewMD280.0284.53 ft, May 28, 20181
Lake KittamaqundiMD298.5303.76 ft, May 28, 20180
GuilfordMD12.018.38 ft, Jun 22, 19720
Savage this gaugeMD10.025.40 ft, Jun 22, 19721

Other gauges in Howard County

Flood gauges in Howard County
Rogers Avenue at Ellicott City258.0261.06 ft, May 27, 20181
Allview280.0284.53 ft, May 28, 20181
Lake Kittamaqundi298.5303.76 ft, May 28, 20180
Guilford12.018.38 ft, Jun 22, 19720
Elkridge at Patapsco Valley State Park15.024.76 ft, May 27, 20184
Elkridge below Patapsco Valley State Park16.021.38 ft, Aug 4, 20180
Duckett Dam near Laurel9.525.00 ft, Jun 22, 19720

Howard County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Maryland

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SAVM2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.