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Sheepscot River at North Whitefield

Highest listed crest 13.71 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft12 crests since 1940

The Sheepscot River at North Whitefield crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 12 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2023. The highest, 13.71 ft on April 1, 1987, was major flooding, 5.71 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.71 ft
April 1, 1987; 7,350 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 9.5 ft
Crests at major
6
1st of 55 gauges in Maine
Most recent flood crest
May 1, 2023
8.56 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lincoln County
Near Augusta (10.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Sheepscot River at North Whitefield
Action stage6.51Dec 19, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage8.55May 1, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage9.56Apr 4, 2005Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

12 crests from 1940 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Sheepscot River at North Whitefield, 1940 to 2023 68101214ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 9.5 ft Apr 13, 1940: 11.81 ft, major flooding; 5,260 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1953: 8.63 ft, moderate flooding; 3,670 cubic feet per secondSep 12, 1954: 9.21 ft, moderate flooding; 4,010 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1959: 8.65 ft, moderate flooding; 3,650 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 1973: 12.52 ft, major flooding; 6,420 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1977: 9.52 ft, major flooding; 4,020 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1983: 10.39 ft, major flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1987: 13.71 ft, major flooding; 7,350 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2005: 9.50 ft, major flooding; 4,500 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2007: 8.63 ft, moderate flooding; 3,760 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2023: 8.56 ft, moderate flooding; 3,770 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 7.07 ft, action stage; 2,560 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.71 ft, Apr 1, 1987 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Sheepscot River at North Whitefield 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 0 2000s: 2 2010s: 0 2020s: 1 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Sheepscot River at North Whitefield
1Apr 1, 198713.71+5.71Major7,350
2Dec 18, 197312.52+4.52Major6,420
3Apr 13, 194011.81+3.81Major5,260
4Apr 25, 198310.39+2.39Major4,700
5Mar 15, 19779.52+1.52Major4,020
6Apr 4, 20059.50+1.50Major4,500
7Sep 12, 19549.21+1.21Moderate4,010
8Apr 3, 19598.65+0.65Moderate3,650
9Mar 27, 19538.63+0.63Moderate3,670
10Apr 18, 20078.63+0.63Moderate3,760
11May 1, 20238.56+0.56Moderate3,770
12Dec 19, 20237.07−0.93Action2,560

Other gauges in Lincoln County

Flood gauges in Lincoln County
Boothbay Harbor Tide Gage (MLLW)13.013.54 ft, Dec 5, 20240

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NWFM1, 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.