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Kennebec River at Augusta

Highest listed crest 34.10 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft49 crests since 1936

The Kennebec River at Augusta crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 49 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2024. The highest, 34.10 ft on April 2, 1987, was major flooding, 22.10 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Kennebec River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
34.10 ft
April 2, 1987
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
3
8th of 55 gauges in Maine
Most recent flood crest
April 14, 2024
16.76 ft, minor flooding
Location
Kennebec County
Near Augusta (2.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Kennebec River at Augusta
Action stage10.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.033Apr 14, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.013May 2, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.03Dec 19, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

49 crests from 1936 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Kennebec River at Augusta, 1936 to 2024 101520253035ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Mar 20, 1936: 30.70 ft, major floodingMar 15, 1977: 14.90 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1987: 34.10 ft, major floodingOct 25, 1990: 14.40 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 1991: 13.60 ft, minor floodingApr 23, 1991: 13.00 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1992: 13.75 ft, minor floodingApr 12, 1993: 18.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 18, 1993: 18.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 24, 1993: 13.80 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1994: 18.00 ft, moderate floodingJan 21, 1996: 15.50 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 1996: 17.70 ft, moderate floodingFeb 24, 1996: 14.70 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1996: 14.00 ft, minor floodingJul 15, 1996: 15.20 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 1996: 15.30 ft, minor floodingApr 2, 1998: 16.50 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1998: 16.00 ft, minor floodingSep 18, 1999: 13.80 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 2000: 15.30 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 2000: 14.90 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 2000: 15.00 ft, minor floodingOct 30, 2003: 13.40 ft, minor floodingDec 19, 2003: 18.39 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 2005: 18.83 ft, moderate floodingApr 29, 2005: 18.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 27, 2005: 17.40 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 2005: 14.20 ft, minor floodingOct 16, 2005: 15.90 ft, minor floodingOct 27, 2005: 14.40 ft, minor floodingDec 1, 2005: 14.00 ft, minor floodingJun 11, 2006: 13.80 ft, minor floodingOct 30, 2006: 14.80 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 2007: 18.80 ft, moderate floodingApr 30, 2008: 18.42 ft, moderate floodingMay 27, 2013: 13.33 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 2014: 17.43 ft, moderate floodingApr 22, 2015: 12.55 ft, minor floodingFeb 17, 2016: 14.35 ft, minor floodingApr 12, 2017: 13.46 ft, minor floodingJan 13, 2018: 19.58 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 2019: 14.16 ft, minor floodingDec 2, 2020: 14.10 ft, minor floodingDec 24, 2022: 13.29 ft, minor floodingMay 2, 2023: 20.38 ft, moderate floodingDec 19, 2023: 26.92 ft, major floodingMar 8, 2024: 13.51 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2024: 16.76 ft, minor flooding Highest, 34.10 ft, Apr 2, 1987 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Kennebec River at Augusta 1930s: 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 17 17 2000s: 16 2010s: 7 2020s: 6 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

Highest listed crests, Kennebec River at Augusta
1Apr 2, 198734.10+22.10Major—
2Mar 20, 193630.70+18.70Major—
3Dec 19, 202326.92+14.92Major—
4May 2, 202320.38+8.38Moderate—
5Jan 13, 201819.58+7.58Moderate—
6Apr 4, 200518.83+6.83Moderate—
7Apr 19, 200718.80+6.80Moderate—
8Apr 12, 199318.50+6.50Moderate—
9Apr 29, 200518.50+6.50Moderate—
10Apr 30, 200818.42+6.42Moderate—
11Dec 19, 200318.39+6.39Moderate—
12Apr 18, 199318.00+6.00Moderate—
13Apr 17, 199418.00+6.00Moderate—
14Jan 29, 199617.70+5.70Moderate—
15Apr 16, 201417.43+5.43Moderate—
16May 27, 200517.40+5.40Moderate—
17Apr 14, 202416.76+4.76Minor—
18Apr 2, 199816.50+4.50Minor—
19Jun 15, 199816.00+4.00Minor—
20Oct 16, 200515.90+3.90Minor—
21Jan 21, 199615.50+3.50Minor—
22Dec 3, 199615.30+3.30Minor—
23Mar 29, 200015.30+3.30Minor—
24Jul 15, 199615.20+3.20Minor—
25Apr 25, 200015.00+3.00Minor—
26Mar 15, 197714.90+2.90Minor—
27Apr 10, 200014.90+2.90Minor—
28Oct 30, 200614.80+2.80Minor—
29Feb 24, 199614.70+2.70Minor—
30Oct 25, 199014.40+2.40Minor—
31Oct 27, 200514.40+2.40Minor—
32Feb 17, 201614.35+2.35Minor—
33Oct 10, 200514.20+2.20Minor—
34Apr 21, 201914.16+2.16Minor—
35Dec 2, 202014.10+2.10Minor—
36Apr 18, 199614.00+2.00Minor—
37Dec 1, 200514.00+2.00Minor—
38Apr 24, 199313.80+1.80Minor—
39Sep 18, 199913.80+1.80Minor—
40Jun 11, 200613.80+1.80Minor—
41Mar 29, 199213.75+1.75Minor—
42Apr 10, 199113.60+1.60Minor—
43Mar 8, 202413.51+1.51Minor—
44Apr 12, 201713.46+1.46Minor—
45Oct 30, 200313.40+1.40Minor—
46May 27, 201313.33+1.33Minor—
47Dec 24, 202213.29+1.29Minor—
48Apr 23, 199113.00+1.00Minor—
49Apr 22, 201512.55+0.55Minor—

The worst floods along the Kennebec River

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

April 2, 1987: 34.10 ft here, major flooding

  • North SidneyME · Apr 2, 1987 · 39.31 ft · Major · its highest
  • GardinerME · Apr 2, 1987 · 24.70 ft · Major

March 20, 1936: 30.70 ft here, major flooding

  • GardinerME · Mar 21, 1936 · 26.40 ft · Major · its highest

December 19, 2023: 26.92 ft here, major flooding

  • North SidneyME · Dec 19, 2023 · 32.32 ft · Major
  • SkowheganME · Dec 19, 2023 · 31.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • HallowellME · Dec 20, 2023 · 22.49 ft · Major · its highest
  • GardinerME · Dec 19, 2023 · 19.24 ft · Major

Gauges on the Kennebec River

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

Flood gauges on the Kennebec River
Augusta this gaugeME12.034.10 ft, Apr 2, 19873
GardinerME13.026.40 ft, Mar 21, 19363
HallowellME11.022.49 ft, Dec 20, 20231
North SidneyME20.039.31 ft, Apr 2, 19872
SkowheganME15.031.00 ft, Dec 19, 20231

Other gauges in Kennebec County

Flood gauges in Kennebec County
Gardiner13.026.40 ft, Mar 21, 19363
Hallowell11.022.49 ft, Dec 20, 20231
North Sidney20.039.31 ft, Apr 2, 19872

Kennebec County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Maine

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ASTM1, 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.