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South Branch Raritan River at High Bridge

Highest listed crest 14.26 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft23 crests since 1940

The South Branch Raritan River at High Bridge crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 23 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2024. The highest, 14.26 ft on January 28, 1994, was major flooding, 4.26 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.26 ft
January 28, 1994; 2,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
1
68th of 125 gauges in New Jersey
Most recent flood crest
January 10, 2024
11.39 ft, minor flooding
Location
Hunterdon County
Near Hackettstown (12.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Branch Raritan River at High Bridge
Action stage9.03May 1, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.017Jan 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.02Aug 28, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.01Jan 28, 1994Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

23 crests from 1940 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Branch Raritan River at High Bridge, 1940 to 2024 810121416ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Mar 15, 1940: 11.78 ft, minor flooding; 5,160 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1979: 12.07 ft, moderate flooding; 6,910 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1982: 11.97 ft, minor flooding; 3,720 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1984: 11.02 ft, minor flooding; 4,510 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1984: 10.13 ft, minor flooding; 2,940 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1994: 14.26 ft, major flooding; 2,000 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 10.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,440 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1996: 11.13 ft, minor flooding; 4,730 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1996: 9.69 ft, action stage; 2,310 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1999: 9.29 ft, action stage; 1,810 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1999: 10.86 ft, minor flooding; 4,200 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 10.71 ft, minor flooding; 3,920 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2007: 10.95 ft, minor flooding; 4,370 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 12.92 ft, moderate floodingSep 8, 2011: 10.95 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 2011: 11.18 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2014: 9.74 ft, action stage; 2,298 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 2020: 10.16 ft, minor flooding; 2,769 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2020: 10.37 ft, minor flooding; 3,013 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 2020: 10.25 ft, minor flooding; 2,873 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 10.97 ft, minor flooding; 3,483 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 10.54 ft, minor flooding; 2,953 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 11.39 ft, minor flooding; 4,044 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.26 ft, Jan 28, 1994 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Branch Raritan River at High Bridge 1940s: 1 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 3 1990s: 4 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 6 6 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, South Branch Raritan River at High Bridge
1Jan 28, 199414.26+4.26Major2,000
2Aug 28, 201112.92+2.92Moderate—
3Jan 25, 197912.07+2.07Moderate6,910
4Feb 1, 198211.97+1.97Minor3,720
5Mar 15, 194011.78+1.78Minor5,160
6Jan 10, 202411.39+1.39Minor4,044
7Sep 28, 201111.18+1.18Minor—
8Oct 20, 199611.13+1.13Minor4,730
9Apr 5, 198411.02+1.02Minor4,510
10Sep 2, 202110.97+0.97Minor3,483
11Apr 16, 200710.95+0.95Minor4,370
12Sep 8, 201110.95+0.95Minor—
13Sep 17, 199910.86+0.86Minor4,200
14Apr 3, 200510.71+0.71Minor3,920
15Dec 18, 202310.54+0.54Minor2,953
16Jan 19, 199610.44+0.44Minor3,440
17Dec 1, 202010.37+0.37Minor3,013
18Dec 25, 202010.25+0.25Minor2,873
19Aug 5, 202010.16+0.16Minor2,769
20Jul 7, 198410.13+0.13Minor2,940
21May 1, 20149.74−0.26Action2,298
22Dec 2, 19969.69−0.31Action2,310
23Mar 22, 19999.29−0.71Action1,810

The worst floods along the South Branch Raritan River

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

August 28, 2011: 12.92 ft here, moderate flooding

  • StantonNJ · Aug 28, 2011 · 13.61 ft · Major

January 25, 1979: 12.07 ft here, moderate flooding

  • StantonNJ · Jan 25, 1979 · 12.72 ft · Major

February 1, 1982: 11.97 ft here, minor flooding

  • StantonNJ · Feb 3, 1982 · 10.02 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the South Branch Raritan River

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

Flood gauges on the South Branch Raritan River
High Bridge this gaugeNJ10.014.26 ft, Jan 28, 19941
StantonNJ8.015.22 ft, Aug 19, 195513

Other gauges in Hunterdon County

Flood gauges in Hunterdon County
Frenchtown16.027.79 ft, Aug 20, 19557
Clinton5.57.41 ft, Sep 20, 19890
Reaville6.519.47 ft, Sep 2, 20210
Stanton8.015.22 ft, Aug 19, 195513
Clinton4.05.35 ft, Sep 2, 20210
Glen Gardner7.09.27 ft, Sep 16, 19990

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HBRN4, 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.