Deerfield River at Charlemont
Massachusetts · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 01168500 — DEERFIELD RIVER AT CHARLEMONT, MA · NWS forecast point CLMM3
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
Very high — big-water conditions well above the seasonal norm
At 941 CFS, this gauge is running 225% of normal for late July — above the 418 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 113 years of record (1913–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Charlemont
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge CLMM3, issued by WFO BOX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 15.0 ft · 31,175 CFS
- 15.0 ft Some homes and other structures off of Zoar Road, Route 2, East Hawley and West Hawley Roads, and Tower Road in Charlemont become inundated with floodwaters. Portions of Route 2, West and East Hawley Roads, and South River Road in Charlemont may become impassable. Floodwaters further inundate the lower section of the Mohawk Park Campground. Large swaths of farmland along the river are flooded.
- 16.0 ft Some homes and other structures off of Zoar Road, Route 2, East Hawley and West Hawley Roads and Tower Road in Charlemont become inundated or isolated by floodwaters. Portions of Route 2, West and East Hawley Roads and South River Road in Charlemont become impassable. Floodwaters further inundate the lower section of the Mohawk Park Campground. Large swaths of farmland along the river are flooded.
- 17.0 ft An increasing number of homes, farms and businesses along the Deerfield River become inundated or isolated by floodwaters. Portions of Route 2, West and East Hawley Road, and South River Road in Charlemont are flooded and impassable. Floodwaters inundate the Mohawk Park Campground. Large swaths of farmland along the river are flooded.
- 18.0 ft An increasing number of homes, farms and businesses along the Deerfield River become inundated or isolated by floodwaters. Portions of Route 2, West and East Hawley Roads, and South River Road in Charlemont are flooded and impassable. Floodwaters inundate the Mohawk Park Campground. Large swaths of farmland along the river are flooded. Floodwaters encroach on the train tracks along the river.
- 19.0 ft This flood approaches the flood level from Irene in August 2011. Large stretches of Route 2 are flooded and impassable. Other streets flood in Charlemont include Tower Road, West and East Hawley Road, South River Road, and Elm Street. Many homes, farms and businesses along the river in Charlemont and Buckland are flooded. Much of the Mohawk Park Campground is flooded out. These floodwaters pose a significant hazard to bridges that cross the river. Portions of the train tracks along the river flood.
- 20.0 ft This flood level is comparable to the flood from Irene in 2011. Large stretches of Route 2 are flooded and impassable. Other streets that become flooded include portions of Tower Road, West and East Hawley Roads, South River Road, and Elm Street. Many homes, farms and businesses along the river in Charlemont and Buckland are flooded out. These floodwaters pose a significant hazard to bridges that cross the river. Portions of the train tracks along the river are flooded. Much of Mohawk Park Campground floods
- 22.0 ft This flood level is higher than the peak from Irene in August 2011, and affects large portions of the Charlemont and Buckland areas. These floodwaters pose a significant hazard to bridges and train tracks. Large stretches of Route 2 are flooded and impassable. Numerous homes and busineses in the greater vicinity of the Deerfield River are flooded out, including the Mohawk Park Campground. Other streets flooded out include Tower Road, West and East Hawley Roads, South River Road, and Elm Street.
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Moderate flood 13.0 ft · 23,880 CFS
- 13.5 ft In Charlemont, low lying structures off of Zoar Road are inundated. Floodwaters inundate the lower section of the Mohawk Park Campground. Larger swaths of farmland in Charlemont become inundated. Floodwaters encroach on lowest lying structures off of Zoar Road, Route 2, East Hawley Road and West Hawley Road.
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Minor flood 10.0 ft · 14,560 CFS
- 10.0 ft In Charlemont, floodwaters inundate the lowest lying farmland adjacent to the Deerfield River. Floodwaters inundate the lowest lying roadway in the Mohawk Park Campground.
- 11.0 ft In Charlemont, floodwaters inundate low lying farmland adjacent to the Deerfield River. Floodwaters also encroach on lowest lying structures near the River near West Hawley Road and Route 2. Floodwaters inundate the lowest lying roadway in the Mohawk Park Campground, and encroach on lowest lying structures off of Zoar Road.
- 12.5 ft In Charlemont and Buckland, floodwaters inundate low lying farmland adjacent to the Deerfield River, and encroach on lowest lying structures near the River near West Hawley Road and Route 2. Floodwaters inundate the lowest lying roadway in the Mohawk Park Campground, and encroach on lowest lying structure off of Zoar Road, Route 2 and West Hawley Road.
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Action 8.0 ft · 9,431 CFS
- 9.0 ft In Charlemont, floodwaters inundate lowest lying farmland adjacent to the Deerfield River. Floodwaters inundate the lowest lying roadway in the Mohawk park Campground.
- Right now 3.12 ft
NWS forecast: 4.70 ft by Jul 30, 6:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Charlemont
Daily values from USGS gauge 01168500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Charlemont
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 20.17 ft | 54,000 CFS | Aug 28, 2011 |
| 20.17 ft | 56,300 CFS | Sep 21, 1938 |
| 17.75 ft | 42,600 CFS | Dec 31, 1948 |
| 16.25 ft | 36,200 CFS | Apr 4, 1987 |
| 15.97 ft | 9,330 CFS | Feb 12, 1925 |
| 15.70 ft | 38,200 CFS | Jul 8, 1915 |
| 13.88 ft | 27,000 CFS | Jun 1, 1952 |
| 13.53 ft | 25,700 CFS | Oct 9, 2005 |
| 13.38 ft | 36,000 CFS | Nov 3, 1927 |
| 13.35 ft | 32,400 CFS | Mar 9, 1921 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Deerfield River at Charlemont
This gauge measures Deerfield River at Charlemont, Massachusetts — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Fife Brook and Zoar Gap; releases plus trout tailwater.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 418 CFS for late July, from 113 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Deerfield River at Charlemont — common questions
What is the current flow on Deerfield River at Charlemont?
As of the last reading on this page, Deerfield River at Charlemont was running 941 CFS at a gage height of 3.12 ft, or 225% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 01168500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 418 CFS, calculated from 113 years of record (1913–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
What is a runnable level on this stretch?
riverlvl deliberately does not publish a runnable range. American Whitewater and the local paddling community maintain the correlations for this reach, and they are the authority. This page gives you the raw inputs — current CFS, gage height, the seasonal median, and the 12-month hydrograph — so you can apply whatever range you trust.
How fast can this gauge come up?
This is a free-flowing gauge, so it rises with rain in the basin. The 12-month chart on this page shows the shape of the past year's rises, which is the best available guide to how flashy this particular reach is.
Where does this data come from?
The flow and gage height come from USGS gauge 01168500, public-domain data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The flood categories, impact statements and forecast come from the National Weather Service's National Water Prediction Service, gauge CLMM3.