Connecticut River at Wells River, VT
River level and flood forecast · Orange County
The river is 9.5 ft below flood stage (12 ft).
Forecast to rise to 3.9 ft Wed 8 AM, below the 12 ft flood stage.
Flow: 1,580 cubic feet per second (USGS).
Lower than normal for October 14.
Usual for October 14: 1,630 to 4,020 cubic feet per second (the middle half of 77 years).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Tue, Oct 13, 11:23 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 Connecticut River at Wells River to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 16 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 14 ft |
| Flood stage | 12 ft |
| Action stage | 9 ft |
| Record crest (July 1, 1973) | 17.35 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 17 ftSevere flooding impacts numerous areas and homes along the river from Woodsville, NH and Wells River, VT south to Fairlee, VT. State Route 135 in NH and US Route 5 in VT are completely inundated and closed.
- 16 ftFloodwaters reach the first floor of multiple homes on Connecticut Street in Woodsville, NH, and South Court Street Route 135 is underwater. Significant flooding at a campground in North Haverhill, NH. US Route 5 is inundated and closed in multiple locations between Wells River and Fairlee, VT.
- 15 ftFlooding begins on the Connecticut Street recreational fields in Woodsville, NH. Basements flood in a few homes near the public pool. South Court Street Route 135 is inundated. High water impacts the lower sections of a campground in North Haverhill, NH.
- 14 ftWater covers South Court Street Route 135 in Woodsville, NH, and impacts the lower sections of the River Meadow Campground in North Haverhill. US Route 5 floods in Newbury, VT.
- 13 ftWater encroaches on US Route 5 in Newbury, VT.
- 12 ftNewbury Crossing Road and Round Barn Road flood in Newbury, VT.
- 11 ftLow-lying agricultural land near the river begins to flood, starting primarily on the Vermont side.
Highest crests on record
- 17.35 ft — July 1, 1973
- 15.96 ft — March 27, 1953
- 15.03 ft — May 31, 1984
- 14.87 ft — April 1, 1987
- 14.67 ft — April 24, 1954
Recent crests: 11.48 ft (July 12, 2024) · 12.19 ft (December 19, 2023) · 12.32 ft (April 23, 2019) · 14.32 ft (April 16, 2014) · 13.58 ft (April 29, 2011)
Highest flow on record
57,100 cubic feet per second — July 1, 1973. From the USGS's yearly peaks since 1950.
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamConnecticut River at Dalton, NH
- DownstreamConnecticut River at West Lebanon, NH
- Wells River at Wells River, VT
- Passumpsic River at Passumpsic, VT
- East Orange Branch at East Orange, VT
- Sleepers River near St. Johnsbury, VT
- East Branch Pemigewasset River at Lincoln, NH
- Winooski River at Lower Cabot, VT, VT
- Pemigewasset River at Woodstock, NH
- Ammonoosuc River at Bethlehem, NH
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (WELV1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.