Concord River at Lowell, MA
River level and flood forecast · Middlesex County
The river is 3.4 ft below flood stage (8 ft).
Forecast to hold near 4.6 ft through Thu, Oct 15, 8 AM.
Flow: 249 cubic feet per second (USGS).
Normal for October 13.
Usual for October 13: 91 to 435 cubic feet per second (the middle half of 90 years).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 11:14 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Concord River at Lowell to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 12 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 10 ft |
| Flood stage | 8 ft |
| Action stage | 7.5 ft |
| Record crest (March 17, 2010) | 9.74 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 15.5 ftThis is the maximum recordable river stage at this location.
- 10 ftSignificant flooding affects people living along the river. In Lowell, Merrill Street, Joiners and Clark Courts, Billerica and Lawrence streets may be most affected. In Billerica, Pershing Street and Stoney Drive as well as the Elsie Avenue neighborhood will be affected. In Bedford, impacted areas include Carlisle Road (Route 225), Bonnyvale Drive, and Sheridan Road. In Concord, the affected areas may include Route 117 and Route 2. Follow the directions of emergency local officals.
- 9 ftSignificant residential flooding will affect people living along the Concord River. In Lowell, Merrill Street, Joiners and Clark Courts may be affected. In Billerica, Pershing Street and Stoney Drive as well as the Elsie Avenue neighborhood will be affected. Follow the directions of emergency management officials.
- 8.5 ftFlooding is expected along portions of the Concord River. This includes homes on Joiners and Clark Courts and Merrill Street in Lowell. It also includes some residences in Billerica along Pershing Street, Stoney Drive, and on Elsie Avenue off River Street.
- 8 ftLow lying areas along the Concord River will be flooded. The area most prone to flooding is a small section of Billerica along Elsie Avenue off River Street.
Highest crests on record
- 9.74 ft — March 17, 2010
- 9.64 ft — April 3, 2010
- 9.6 ft — January 28, 1979
- 9.6 ft — April 10, 1987
- 8.97 ft — August 23, 1955
Recent crests: 8.13 ft (January 15, 2024) · 8.17 ft (December 21, 2023) · 9.64 ft (April 3, 2010) · 9.74 ft (March 17, 2010) · 8.33 ft (March 1, 2010)
Highest flow on record
5,840 cubic feet per second — March 17, 2010. From the USGS's yearly peaks since 1938.
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (LCNM3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.