Winooski River at Montpelier, VT
River level and flood forecast · Washington County
The river is 12.0 ft below flood stage (15 ft).
Forecast to rise to 5.2 ft Wed 2 AM, below the 15 ft flood stage.
Flow: 73 cubic feet per second (USGS).
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.
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An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Winooski River at Montpelier to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 17.5 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 16 ft |
| Flood stage | 15 ft |
| Action stage | 11 ft |
| Record crest (November 3, 1927) | 27.1 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 27 ftThe Montpelier business district will be covered by water 8 to 10 feet deep. Widespread flooding of the Winooski valley will occur.
- 22 ftDowntown Montpelier will be inundated, and local roads will be covered by water. Route 2 and railroad tracks along the river will be covered with water. There will be widespread field flooding throughout the Winooski River valley. This stage is equivalent to the FEMA 1 Percent Annual Chance Flood.
- 17.5 ftWater covers the streets in downtown Montpelier. Local roads along the Winooski from Montpelier to Waterbury will be covered in water, and there will be widespread field flooding.
- 16 ftRoute 2 will flood at Bailey Avenue bridge, and the entrance to the Montpelier High School. Parking lots behind state office buildings next to the river will flood between Taylor Street and Bailey Avenue, and the approach to Taylor Street bridge will be inundated. Low lying fields and farmland will be inundated.
- 15 ftFlooding will begin on State Street at the Bailey Avenue bridge. Flooding may occur along Route 302 between Montpelier and Barre. Downstream from Montpelier to Waterbury, low lying local roads and farmland will flood. Water will approach the State of Vermont office complex in Waterbury.
Highest crests on record
- 27.1 ft — November 3, 1927
- 21.29 ft — July 11, 2023
- 19.05 ft — August 29, 2011
- 17.59 ft — May 27, 2011
- 17.55 ft — June 30, 1973
Recent crests: 14.45 ft (July 11, 2024) · 16.15 ft (December 18, 2023) · 21.29 ft (July 11, 2023) · 19.05 ft (August 29, 2011) · 17.59 ft (May 27, 2011)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamNorth Branch Winooski River at Wrightsville, VT
- Dog River at Northfield Falls, VT
- Mad River near Moretown, VT
- Little River (Vermont) near Waterbury, VT
- Little River (Vermont) at Moscow, VT
- Winooski River at Lower Cabot, VT, VT
- East Orange Branch at East Orange, VT
- Ranch Brook at Ranch Camp near Stowe 5NW, VT
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (MONV1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.