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Nooksack River at Ferndale

Highest listed crest 31.23 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft113 crests since 1917

The Nooksack River at Ferndale crested at major flood stage 17 times among the 113 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1917 to 2025. The highest, 31.23 ft on February 10, 1951, was major flooding, 13.23 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
31.23 ft
February 10, 1951; 55,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major
17
8th of 70 gauges in Washington
Most recent flood crest
December 12, 2025
22.39 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Whatcom County
Near Ferndale (0.6 mi), Bellingham (8.3 mi), Lynden (9.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Nooksack River at Ferndale
Action stage15.054Feb 16, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.023Jan 29, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.518Dec 12, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage23.017Nov 16, 2021Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

113 crests from 1917 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Nooksack River at Ferndale, 1917 to 2025 101520253035ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 23.0 ft Dec 30, 1917: 30.60 ft, major floodingDec 12, 1921: 28.15 ft, major floodingFeb 27, 1932: 30.40 ft, major floodingJan 25, 1935: 30.20 ft, major floodingOct 26, 1945: 28.60 ft, major flooding; 41,600 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1949: 25.55 ft, major flooding; 27,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1951: 31.23 ft, major flooding; 55,000 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1952: 22.00 ft, moderate flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1953: 22.61 ft, moderate flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 1953: 22.11 ft, moderate flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1954: 23.30 ft, major flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 1955: 27.23 ft, major flooding; 35,000 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 1956: 24.24 ft, major flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1958: 22.00 ft, moderate flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1959: 26.21 ft, major flooding; 30,200 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1959: 23.84 ft, major flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1961: 26.38 ft, major flooding; 30,800 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1962: 22.40 ft, moderate flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 1962: 25.15 ft, major flooding; 26,000 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1963: 24.37 ft, major flooding; 23,300 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1965: 22.98 ft, moderate flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1966: 12.31 ft, below flood stage; 21,400 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1967: 17.48 ft, action stage; 23,900 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1969: 18.73 ft, minor flooding; 28,100 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1971: 20.35 ft, minor flooding; 38,100 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1972: 16.27 ft, action stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1972: 17.65 ft, action stage; 24,800 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 1972: 16.24 ft, action stage; 21,000 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1972: 17.64 ft, action stage; 24,800 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1974: 16.18 ft, action stage; 21,800 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1974: 15.75 ft, action stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1975: 16.85 ft, action stage; 23,500 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1975: 16.04 ft, action stage; 21,500 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1975: 21.97 ft, moderate flooding; 46,700 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1977: 17.27 ft, action stage; 23,900 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1977: 16.33 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1979: 20.14 ft, minor flooding; 36,400 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1980: 16.51 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1980: 18.83 ft, minor flooding; 29,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1981: 16.01 ft, action stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1982: 17.54 ft, action stage; 25,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1982: 18.21 ft, minor flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1982: 18.18 ft, minor flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 1983: 19.75 ft, minor flooding; 34,200 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 1983: 16.22 ft, action stage; 21,300 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1984: 21.08 ft, moderate flooding; 41,500 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1984: 17.28 ft, action stage; 24,300 cubic feet per secondOct 28, 1985: 16.60 ft, action stage; 22,300 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1985: 16.96 ft, action stage; 23,400 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1986: 17.68 ft, action stage; 25,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1986: 18.86 ft, minor flooding; 29,900 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1986: 20.06 ft, minor flooding; 36,000 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1988: 16.09 ft, action stage; 21,000 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 1989: 22.15 ft, moderate flooding; 47,800 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 1989: 17.83 ft, action stage; 26,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1990: 16.55 ft, action stage; 22,100 cubic feet per secondNov 10, 1990: 23.56 ft, major flooding; 57,000 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1990: 18.62 ft, minor flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1990: 22.26 ft, moderate flooding; 48,500 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1994: 16.39 ft, action stage; 21,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1995: 16.21 ft, action stage; 21,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1995: 16.29 ft, action stage; 21,500 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1995: 19.02 ft, minor flooding; 30,600 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1995: 22.05 ft, moderate flooding; 47,200 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 1995: 16.14 ft, action stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1996: 16.29 ft, action stage; 21,500 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1996: 16.16 ft, action stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1996: 17.83 ft, action stage; 26,000 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1997: 17.20 ft, action stage; 24,100 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1997: 20.45 ft, minor flooding; 38,100 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 1998: 16.02 ft, action stage; 20,800 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1998: 17.36 ft, action stage; 24,600 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1998: 16.36 ft, action stage; 21,600 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 1999: 15.98 ft, action stage; 20,700 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 1999: 16.51 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1999: 16.56 ft, action stage; 22,200 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2001: 16.37 ft, action stage; 21,700 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2002: 18.40 ft, minor flooding; 28,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2002: 18.94 ft, minor flooding; 30,300 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 2003: 20.79 ft, moderate flooding; 39,900 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2003: 18.78 ft, minor flooding; 29,600 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2004: 21.21 ft, moderate flooding; 42,300 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2004: 17.67 ft, action stage; 25,600 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 2005: 19.29 ft, minor flooding; 31,900 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 2006: 20.45 ft, minor flooding; 38,100 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2007: 18.35 ft, minor flooding; 27,900 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2007: 17.76 ft, action stage; 25,800 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 2007: 16.16 ft, action stage; 21,100 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2009: 22.76 ft, moderate flooding; 51,700 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 2009: 16.83 ft, action stage; 22,900 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2010: 20.50 ft, moderate flooding; 38,300 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2011: 20.13 ft, minor flooding; 36,100 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2012: 16.04 ft, action stage; 18,900 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2012: 16.56 ft, action stage; 20,300 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2014: 16.89 ft, action stage; 21,200 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2014: 16.29 ft, action stage; 18,800 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 2014: 16.86 ft, action stage; 20,000 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2014: 18.02 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2014: 16.04 ft, action stage; 18,300 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 2015: 16.93 ft, action stage; 20,200 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2015: 16.10 ft, action stage; 18,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2015: 16.91 ft, action stage; 20,100 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 2015: 17.60 ft, action stage; 22,100 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2015: 18.77 ft, minor flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2016: 16.70 ft, action stage; 19,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2016: 17.57 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 2017: 17.10 ft, action stage; 20,600 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 2017: 19.21 ft, minor flooding; 29,306 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 2020: 20.95 ft, moderate flooding; 37,289 cubic feet per secondNov 16, 2021: 23.81 ft, major flooding; 55,249 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2021: 21.22 ft, moderate flooding; 35,279 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 2024: 18.52 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 2025: 22.39 ft, moderate flooding; 44,822 cubic feet per second Highest, 31.23 ft, Feb 10, 1951 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Nooksack River at Ferndale 1910s: 1 1920s: 1 1930s: 2 1940s: 2 1950s: 10 10 1960s: 6 1970s: 3 1980s: 8 1990s: 6 2000s: 9 2010s: 5 2020s: 5 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 113 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Nooksack River at Ferndale
1Feb 10, 195131.23+13.23Major55,000
2Dec 30, 191730.60+12.60Major—
3Feb 27, 193230.40+12.40Major—
4Jan 25, 193530.20+12.20Major—
5Oct 26, 194528.60+10.60Major41,600
6Dec 12, 192128.15+10.15Major—
7Nov 4, 195527.23+9.23Major35,000
8Jan 16, 196126.38+8.38Major30,800
9Apr 30, 195926.21+8.21Major30,200
10Nov 27, 194925.55+7.55Major27,500
11Nov 20, 196225.15+7.15Major26,000
12Nov 27, 196324.37+6.37Major23,300
13Dec 10, 195624.24+6.24Major23,000
14Nov 23, 195923.84+5.84Major22,000
15Nov 16, 202123.81+5.81Major55,249
16Nov 10, 199023.56+5.56Major57,000
17Nov 19, 195423.30+5.30Major20,700
18Jan 31, 196522.98+4.98Moderate20,000
19Jan 8, 200922.76+4.76Moderate51,700
20Feb 1, 195322.61+4.61Moderate19,300
21Jan 8, 196222.40+4.40Moderate18,800
22Dec 12, 202522.39+4.39Moderate44,822
23Nov 24, 199022.26+4.26Moderate48,500
24Nov 11, 198922.15+4.15Moderate47,800
25Oct 31, 195322.11+4.11Moderate18,500
26Nov 30, 199522.05+4.05Moderate47,200
27Jan 31, 195222.00+4.00Moderate18,300
28Jan 17, 195822.00+4.00Moderate18,300
29Dec 3, 197521.97+3.97Moderate46,700
30Nov 29, 202121.22+3.22Moderate35,279
31Nov 25, 200421.21+3.21Moderate42,300
32Jan 5, 198421.08+3.08Moderate41,500
33Feb 2, 202020.95+2.95Moderate37,289
34Oct 21, 200320.79+2.79Moderate39,900
35Dec 13, 201020.50+2.50Moderate38,300
36Mar 20, 199720.45+2.45Minor38,100
37Nov 7, 200620.45+2.45Minor38,100
38Jan 31, 197120.35+2.35Minor38,100
39Dec 15, 197920.14+2.14Minor36,400
40Jan 18, 201120.13+2.13Minor36,100
41Nov 24, 198620.06+2.06Minor36,000
42Jan 11, 198319.75+1.75Minor34,200
43Jan 19, 200519.29+1.29Minor31,900
44Nov 24, 201719.21+1.21Minor29,306
45Nov 9, 199519.02+1.02Minor30,600
46Feb 23, 200218.94+0.94Minor30,300
47Feb 25, 198618.86+0.86Minor29,900
48Dec 27, 198018.83+0.83Minor29,700
49Nov 19, 200318.78+0.78Minor29,600
50Nov 18, 201518.77+0.77Minor27,000

Gauges on the Nooksack River

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

Flood gauges on the Nooksack River
North CedarvillleWA146.5150.76 ft, Nov 15, 20212
Ferndale this gaugeWA18.031.23 ft, Feb 10, 195117

Other gauges in Whatcom County

Flood gauges in Whatcom County
SR544 Everson4.07.75 ft, Nov 15, 20210
North Cedarvillle146.5150.76 ft, Nov 15, 20212
Saxon Bridge8.09.54 ft, Nov 15, 20211

Whatcom County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Washington

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NKSW1, 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.