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Smith River (NH) at Bristol

Highest listed crest 16.09 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft18 crests since 1934

The Smith River (NH) at Bristol crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 18 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1934 to 2023. The highest, 16.09 ft on March 19, 1936, was major flooding, 8.09 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.09 ft
March 19, 1936; 8,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
1
20th of 34 gauges in New Hampshire
Most recent flood crest
December 18, 2023
8.27 ft, minor flooding
Location
Merrimack County
Near Laconia (13.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Smith River (NH) at Bristol
Action stage6.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.017Dec 18, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.01Mar 19, 1936Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

18 crests from 1934 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Smith River (NH) at Bristol, 1934 to 2023 81012141618ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Apr 12, 1934: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 3,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 16.09 ft, major flooding; 8,100 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1938: 10.77 ft, minor flooding; 5,070 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1951: 8.91 ft, minor flooding; 2,840 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1953: 10.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 1959: 8.16 ft, minor flooding; 2,630 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1969: 8.33 ft, minor flooding; 2,730 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1973: 9.27 ft, minor flooding; 3,320 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1977: 8.11 ft, minor flooding; 2,590 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1984: 8.41 ft, minor flooding; 2,770 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1987: 10.21 ft, minor flooding; 3,740 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1990: 8.54 ft, minor flooding; 2,720 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 1996: 8.99 ft, minor flooding; 3,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2005: 8.22 ft, minor flooding; 2,510 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2006: 11.41 ft, minor flooding; 4,590 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2007: 8.65 ft, minor flooding; 2,770 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 8.18 ft, minor flooding; 2,490 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 8.27 ft, minor flooding; 2,544 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.09 ft, Mar 19, 1936 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Smith River (NH) at Bristol 1930s: 3 3 1940s: 0 1950s: 3 1960s: 1 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 3 2010s: 1 2020s: 1 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, Smith River (NH) at Bristol
1Mar 19, 193616.09+8.09Major8,100
2May 14, 200611.41+3.41Minor4,590
3Sep 22, 193810.77+2.77Minor5,070
4Mar 27, 195310.44+2.44Minor3,750
5Apr 12, 193410.37+2.37Minor3,500
6Apr 1, 198710.21+2.21Minor3,740
7Jun 30, 19739.27+1.27Minor3,320
8Oct 21, 19968.99+0.99Minor3,000
9Apr 3, 19518.91+0.91Minor2,840
10Apr 17, 20078.65+0.65Minor2,770
11Aug 8, 19908.54+0.54Minor2,720
12May 31, 19848.41+0.41Minor2,770
13Apr 19, 19698.33+0.33Minor2,730
14Dec 18, 20238.27+0.27Minor2,544
15Apr 4, 20058.22+0.22Minor2,510
16Aug 29, 20118.18+0.18Minor2,490
17Oct 24, 19598.16+0.16Minor2,630
18Mar 15, 19778.11+0.11Minor2,590

Other gauges in Merrimack County

Flood gauges in Merrimack County
Henniker12.021.30 ft, Sep 21, 19381
Concord14.026.20 ft, Mar 20, 19363
Franklin Jct.16.036.40 ft, Mar 19, 19363
North Chichester7.015.97 ft, Apr 17, 20070
Davisville8.012.80 ft, Sep 22, 19382
Tilton7.08.68 ft, May 31, 19842

Merrimack County: every hazard · River floods across the country · New Hampshire

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRSN3, 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.