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North Branch Raritan River near Raritan

Highest listed crest 19.52 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft43 crests since 1936

The North Branch Raritan River near Raritan crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 43 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2024. The highest, 19.52 ft on September 2, 2021, was major flooding, 9.52 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the North Branch Raritan River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.52 ft
September 2, 2021; 33,980 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
6
19th of 125 gauges in New Jersey
Most recent flood crest
January 10, 2024
14.10 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Somerset County
Near Somerville (3.8 mi), Manville (5.1 mi), Bound Brook (7.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, North Branch Raritan River near Raritan
Action stage8.08Mar 11, 2011The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.018Dec 28, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.011Jan 10, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.06Sep 2, 2021Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the North Branch Raritan River near Raritan, 1936 to 2024 8101214161820ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Jan 3, 1936: 11.35 ft, minor flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1938: 12.16 ft, moderate flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1942: 11.78 ft, minor flooding; 15,500 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1955: 12.70 ft, moderate flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1955: 13.59 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1955: 12.68 ft, moderate flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 1971: 15.47 ft, major flooding; 28,600 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1972: 10.22 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1979: 11.87 ft, minor flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1982: 11.68 ft, minor flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1983: 11.59 ft, minor flooding; 14,200 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1984: 10.79 ft, minor flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1984: 15.30 ft, major flooding; 27,900 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1993: 9.22 ft, action stage; 7,670 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1994: 10.19 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1994: 9.15 ft, action stage; 7,520 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 14.30 ft, moderate flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1996: 8.36 ft, action stage; 5,840 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1996: 15.44 ft, major flooding; 28,500 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1996: 9.64 ft, action stage; 8,770 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1998: 8.06 ft, action stage; 5,110 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1999: 9.72 ft, action stage; 8,990 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 18.98 ft, major flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2002: 9.25 ft, action stage; 7,730 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2003: 10.16 ft, minor floodingJul 23, 2004: 11.95 ft, minor flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 10.34 ft, minor flooding; 9,690 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 13.20 ft, moderate flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2010: 13.90 ft, moderate floodingMar 7, 2011: 10.01 ft, minor flooding; 8,836 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 2011: 9.54 ft, action stage; 7,692 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2011: 11.15 ft, minor floodingAug 28, 2011: 17.97 ft, major flooding; 40,600 cubic feet per secondSep 8, 2011: 12.70 ft, moderate flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2014: 13.29 ft, moderate flooding; 13,070 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2018: 10.51 ft, minor flooding; 7,137 cubic feet per secondAug 23, 2021: 11.88 ft, minor flooding; 9,798 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 19.52 ft, major flooding; 33,980 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2022: 10.13 ft, minor flooding; 6,525 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2023: 10.64 ft, minor flooding; 7,362 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 13.54 ft, moderate flooding; 13,680 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2023: 11.78 ft, minor flooding; 9,588 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 14.10 ft, moderate flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.52 ft, Sep 2, 2021 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, North Branch Raritan River near Raritan 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 3 1980s: 4 1990s: 4 2000s: 4 2010s: 7 7 2020s: 7 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, North Branch Raritan River near Raritan
1Sep 2, 202119.52+9.52Major33,980
2Sep 16, 199918.98+8.98Major29,000
3Aug 28, 201117.97+7.97Major40,600
4Aug 28, 197115.47+5.47Major28,600
5Oct 19, 199615.44+5.44Major28,500
6Jul 7, 198415.30+5.30Major27,900
7Jan 19, 199614.30+4.30Moderate23,700
8Jan 10, 202414.10+4.10Moderate15,200
9Mar 14, 201013.90+3.90Moderate—
10Aug 19, 195513.59+3.59Moderate20,700
11Dec 18, 202313.54+3.54Moderate13,680
12May 1, 201413.29+3.29Moderate13,070
13Apr 16, 200713.20+3.20Moderate19,400
14Aug 13, 195512.70+2.70Moderate17,400
15Sep 8, 201112.70+2.70Moderate17,400
16Oct 15, 195512.68+2.68Moderate17,300
17Sep 21, 193812.16+2.16Moderate16,500
18Jul 23, 200411.95+1.95Minor14,600
19Aug 23, 202111.88+1.88Minor9,798
20Jan 25, 197911.87+1.87Minor15,100
21Aug 9, 194211.78+1.78Minor15,500
22Dec 28, 202311.78+1.78Minor9,588
23Feb 3, 198211.68+1.68Minor14,500
24Apr 16, 198311.59+1.59Minor14,200
25Jan 3, 193611.35+1.35Minor14,400
26Apr 17, 201111.15+1.15Minor—
27Apr 5, 198410.79+0.79Minor11,900
28Jul 10, 202310.64+0.64Minor7,362
29Nov 25, 201810.51+0.51Minor7,137
30Apr 3, 200510.34+0.34Minor9,690
31Jun 22, 197210.22+0.22Minor10,400
32Jan 29, 199410.19+0.19Minor10,000
33Dec 11, 200310.16+0.16Minor—
34Apr 8, 202210.13+0.13Minor6,525
35Mar 7, 201110.01+0.01Minor8,836
36Mar 22, 19999.72−0.28Action8,990
37Dec 2, 19969.64−0.36Action8,770
38Mar 11, 20119.54−0.46Action7,692
39May 14, 20029.25−0.75Action7,730
40Dec 5, 19939.22−0.78Action7,670
41Mar 10, 19949.15−0.85Action7,520
42Jul 13, 19968.36−1.64Action5,840
43Apr 10, 19988.06−1.94Action5,110

The worst floods along the North Branch Raritan River

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

September 2, 2021: 19.52 ft here, major flooding

September 16, 1999: 18.98 ft here, major flooding

August 28, 2011: 17.97 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the North Branch Raritan River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the North Branch Raritan River
Far HillsNJ6.07.60 ft, Jul 23, 19190
North Branch VillageNJ12.321.53 ft, Sep 16, 19990
Raritan this gaugeNJ10.019.52 ft, Sep 2, 20216
South BranchNJ8.020.26 ft, Sep 2, 202114

Other gauges in Somerset County

Flood gauges in Somerset County
Seeley Mills5.59.05 ft, Sep 2, 20210
Burnt Mills11.016.79 ft, Sep 2, 20214
Bound Brook11.020.66 ft, Sep 2, 20210
Burnt Mills9.512.76 ft, Sep 2, 20211
Blackwells Mills9.021.24 ft, Aug 28, 201111
Griggstown10.024.21 ft, Aug 28, 201114
Millstone10.022.45 ft, Sep 2, 20216
Weston11.523.75 ft, Sep 2, 20217
North Branch Village12.321.53 ft, Sep 16, 19990
South Branch8.020.26 ft, Sep 2, 202114
Far Hills6.07.60 ft, Jul 23, 19190
Millington8.010.26 ft, Aug 29, 20112
Bound Brook28.042.13 ft, Sep 17, 199913
Manville14.027.66 ft, Sep 2, 202110
North Plainfield7.010.65 ft, Aug 2, 19730
Watchung14.024.50 ft, Aug 2, 19730
Martinsville6.011.47 ft, Sep 2, 20210

Somerset County: every hazard · River floods across the country · New Jersey

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RRTN4, 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.