Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Winooski River at Essex Junction

Highest listed crest 51.40 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft87 crests since 1927

The Winooski River at Essex Junction crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 87 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1927 to 2025. The highest, 51.40 ft on November 4, 1927, was major flooding, 39.40 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Winooski River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
51.40 ft
November 4, 1927; 113,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
11
4th of 28 gauges in Vermont
Most recent flood crest
March 17, 2025
12.89 ft, minor flooding
Location
Chittenden County
Near Essex Junction (1.5 mi), South Burlington (3.6 mi), Burlington (5.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Winooski River at Essex Junction
Action stage10.05Sep 17, 1999The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.041Mar 17, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.021Nov 2, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.011Jul 11, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

87 crests from 1927 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Winooski River at Essex Junction, 1927 to 2025 0204060ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Nov 4, 1927: 51.40 ft, major flooding; 113,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1929: 11.64 ft, action stage; 19,300 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1930: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 21,300 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1931: 13.22 ft, minor flooding; 22,600 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1932: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1933: 18.60 ft, major flooding; 34,600 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1934: 17.32 ft, moderate flooding; 31,600 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1935: 16.96 ft, moderate flooding; 30,900 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 24.54 ft, major flooding; 45,300 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1937: 15.07 ft, moderate flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 1938: 18.72 ft, major flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1939: 11.07 ft, action stage; 18,200 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1940: 13.38 ft, minor flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1941: 7.90 ft, below flood stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1942: 13.15 ft, minor flooding; 22,400 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1943: 8.35 ft, below flood stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1946: 12.80 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1946: 12.30 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1947: 12.44 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1947: 16.27 ft, moderate flooding; 28,900 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1948: 10.08 ft, action stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1948: 16.09 ft, moderate flooding; 28,500 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1952: 14.16 ft, minor flooding; 24,900 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1954: 9.09 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1955: 9.36 ft, below flood stage; 15,100 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1956: 9.85 ft, below flood stage; 15,900 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1957: 12.08 ft, minor flooding; 20,200 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1958: 13.03 ft, minor flooding; 22,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1959: 12.98 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1959: 14.00 ft, minor flooding; 24,100 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1961: 8.52 ft, below flood stage; 12,800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1964: 14.68 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1965: 5.49 ft, below flood stage; 5,580 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1966: 8.03 ft, below flood stage; 10,300 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1967: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1968: 14.23 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1969: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1970: 13.52 ft, minor flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1971: 13.62 ft, minor flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1972: 16.87 ft, moderate flooding; 27,400 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1973: 17.47 ft, moderate flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1974: 13.07 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1975: 14.35 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1976: 17.09 ft, moderate flooding; 27,900 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 1976: 15.91 ft, moderate flooding; 25,400 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1977: 19.06 ft, major flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1978: 13.17 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1979: 15.71 ft, moderate flooding; 24,800 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1979: 8.79 ft, below flood stageFeb 21, 1981: 22.17 ft, major flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1982: 18.28 ft, major flooding; 30,300 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1983: 13.93 ft, minor flooding; 21,300 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1984: 12.16 ft, minor flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1985: 14.07 ft, minor flooding; 800 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1986: 13.40 ft, minor flooding; 20,200 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1987: 17.13 ft, moderate flooding; 27,900 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 1990: 14.78 ft, minor flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1991: 12.40 ft, minor flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1992: 14.42 ft, minor flooding; 22,300 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1994: 15.59 ft, moderate flooding; 24,700 cubic feet per secondAug 6, 1995: 10.46 ft, action stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 17.09 ft, moderate flooding; 27,800 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1998: 16.06 ft, moderate flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 1999: 11.21 ft, action stage; 16,000 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2000: 14.38 ft, minor flooding; 22,200 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2000: 16.80 ft, moderate flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2002: 13.23 ft, minor flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2003: 12.15 ft, minor flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 2003: 14.23 ft, minor flooding; 21,900 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2005: 14.63 ft, minor flooding; 22,700 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2006: 16.34 ft, moderate flooding; 26,200 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2006: 12.96 ft, minor flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2010: 15.30 ft, moderate flooding; 24,100 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2011: 17.27 ft, moderate flooding; 28,148 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2011: 16.28 ft, moderate flooding; 26,072 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 22.19 ft, major flooding; 38,856 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2013: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2014: 16.54 ft, moderate flooding; 26,680 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2017: 14.37 ft, minor flooding; 22,207 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2018: 14.88 ft, minor flooding; 23,253 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2019: 13.74 ft, minor flooding; 20,930 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 2019: 16.64 ft, moderate flooding; 26,856 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 2023: 23.28 ft, major flooding; 41,300 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2023: 21.52 ft, major flooding; 28,564 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 2024: 13.38 ft, minor flooding; 18,272 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 2024: 20.48 ft, major flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 2025: 12.89 ft, minor flooding; 17,598 cubic feet per second Highest, 51.40 ft, Nov 4, 1927 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Winooski River at Essex Junction 1920s: 1 1930s: 9 1940s: 7 1950s: 5 1960s: 4 1970s: 11 11 1980s: 7 1990s: 6 2000s: 8 2010s: 10 2020s: 5 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 87 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Winooski River at Essex Junction
1Nov 4, 192751.40+39.40Major113,000
2Mar 19, 193624.54+12.54Major45,300
3Jul 11, 202323.28+11.28Major41,300
4Aug 29, 201122.19+10.19Major38,856
5Feb 21, 198122.17+10.17Major10,000
6Dec 19, 202321.52+9.52Major28,564
7Jul 11, 202420.48+8.48Major27,300
8Mar 14, 197719.06+7.06Major32,000
9Sep 22, 193818.72+6.72Major34,300
10Apr 19, 193318.60+6.60Major34,600
11Apr 18, 198218.28+6.28Major30,300
12Jul 1, 197317.47+5.47Moderate28,700
13Apr 13, 193417.32+5.32Moderate31,600
14Apr 12, 201117.27+5.27Moderate28,148
15Apr 1, 198717.13+5.13Moderate27,900
16Apr 2, 197617.09+5.09Moderate27,900
17Jan 20, 199617.09+5.09Moderate27,800
18Jan 10, 193516.96+4.96Moderate30,900
19May 5, 197216.87+4.87Moderate27,400
20Dec 18, 200016.80+4.80Moderate27,200
21Nov 2, 201916.64+4.64Moderate26,856
22Apr 16, 201416.54+4.54Moderate26,680
23May 20, 200616.34+4.34Moderate26,200
24Apr 27, 201116.28+4.28Moderate26,072
25Jun 4, 194716.27+4.27Moderate28,900
26Dec 31, 194816.09+4.09Moderate28,500
27Jan 9, 199816.06+4.06Moderate25,700
28Aug 11, 197615.91+3.91Moderate25,400
29Mar 6, 197915.71+3.71Moderate24,800
30Apr 17, 199415.59+3.59Moderate24,700
31Oct 2, 201015.30+3.30Moderate24,100
32May 16, 193715.07+3.07Moderate26,400
33Dec 23, 201814.88+2.88Minor23,253
34Oct 24, 199014.78+2.78Minor23,000
35Mar 6, 196414.68+2.68Minor17,500
36Apr 4, 200514.63+2.63Minor22,700
37Mar 27, 199214.42+2.42Minor22,300
38May 11, 200014.38+2.38Minor22,200
39Jul 1, 201714.37+2.37Minor22,207
40Apr 20, 197514.35+2.35Minor22,200
41Mar 22, 196814.23+2.23Minor19,600
42Nov 20, 200314.23+2.23Minor21,900
43Jun 2, 195214.16+2.16Minor24,900
44Feb 2, 198514.07+2.07Minor800
45Nov 28, 195914.00+2.00Minor24,100
46Dec 14, 198313.93+1.93Minor21,300
47Apr 16, 201913.74+1.74Minor20,930
48Apr 13, 193213.68+1.68Minor23,600
49Apr 19, 196913.68+1.68Minor20,900
50May 4, 197113.62+1.62Minor20,700

The worst floods along the Winooski River

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

November 4, 1927: 51.40 ft here, major flooding

  • MontpelierVT · Nov 3, 1927 · 27.10 ft · Major · its highest

March 19, 1936: 24.54 ft here, major flooding

  • MontpelierVT · Mar 18, 1936 · 16.57 ft · Moderate

July 11, 2023: 23.28 ft here, major flooding

  • WaterburyVT · Jul 10, 2023 · 426.03 ft · Major
  • MontpelierVT · Jul 11, 2023 · 21.29 ft · Major

Gauges on the Winooski River

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

Flood gauges on the Winooski River
MontpelierVT15.027.10 ft, Nov 3, 19275
WaterburyVT419.0430.00 ft, Aug 29, 20112
Essex Junction this gaugeVT12.051.40 ft, Nov 4, 192711

Other gauges in Chittenden County

Flood gauges in Chittenden County
Lake Champlain at Burlington99.5102.67 ft, May 6, 20112

Chittenden County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Vermont

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ESSV1, 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.