Wells River at Wells River, VT
River level and flood forecast · Orange County
The river is 4.3 ft below flood stage (6 ft).
Flow: 34 cubic feet per second (USGS).
Lower than normal for October 13.
Usual for October 13: 38 to 100 cubic feet per second (the middle half of 87 years).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 7 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Wells River at Wells River to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 9 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 8 ft |
| Flood stage | 6 ft |
| Action stage | 5 ft |
| Record crest (June 30, 1973) | 9.82 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 9 ftThe villages of Wells River, South Ryegate, and Groton become isolated due to flooded roadways. Water reaches a depth of about 2 feet in downtown Wells River. Low lying buildings and roads along the Wells River in Groton, South Ryegate, and Wells River take on water, with significant flooding along route 302. Flooding is similar to Irene in 2011.
- 8.5 ftFlooding occurs in the town of Wells River beginning at the fire station at the intersection of Routes 302 and 5 and continuing down Route 5 until the Happy Hour restaurant. Buildings on the east side of Route 5 flood. Low lying roads and buildings along the Wells River may take on water in Groton and South Ryegate.
- 6 ftWater approaches US Highway 302 along the Wells River in Groton, South Ryegate, and Wells River.
Highest crests on record
- 9.82 ft — June 30, 1973
- 9 ft — August 29, 2011
- 8.68 ft — June 7, 1984
- 8.54 ft — July 15, 1997
- 8.18 ft — July 11, 2024
Recent crests: 8.18 ft (July 11, 2024) · 5.74 ft (March 7, 2024) · 7.33 ft (December 19, 2023) · 7.54 ft (July 11, 2023) · 4.35 ft (April 30, 2021)
Highest flow on record
5,970 cubic feet per second — June 30, 1973. From the USGS's yearly peaks since 1941.
Up and down the river, and nearby
- Connecticut River at Wells River, VT
- East Orange Branch at East Orange, VT
- Passumpsic River at Passumpsic, VT
- Sleepers River near St. Johnsbury, VT
- Winooski River at Lower Cabot, VT, VT
- East Branch Pemigewasset River at Lincoln, NH
- Pemigewasset River at Woodstock, NH
- Pope Brook (VT) near North Danville, VT
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (WLRV1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.