Penobscot River above Grindstone
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 11.5 ft; minor flooding begins at 14.0 ft; moderate flooding begins at 16.0 ft; major flooding begins at 17.0 ft.
| Action stage | 11.5 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 14.0 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 16.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 17.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 16.9 ft on Apr 30, 1923 (historic crest)
- 15.0 ft on Apr 30, 2008 (historic crest)
- 14.7 ft on Apr 29, 1973 (historic crest)
- 14.7 ft on Dec 19, 2023 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 12.0 ft | River rising nearing bankfull with minor floodplain flooding along the Penobscot River Trails. |
|---|---|
| 13.0 ft | Minor flooding of the flood plain through Penobscot River Trails cutting some trails off from access. |
| 14.0 ft | State Route 11 flooded in places but remains passable. Homes and camps begin to get threatened. Significant flooding of Penobscot River Trails and unaccessable. Moderate backwater flooding of Mud & Hay Brooks. |
| 14.5 ft | State Route 11 becomes impassable between the Penobscot River Trails road and Hay Brook with significant backwater flooding. Additional flooding of State Route 11 near Frazier Road to the Grindstone Falls Rest Area. 1-2 feet of inundation of State Route 11 near the USGS gage at the railroad trestle. Low lying structures are threatened downstream to Medway. |
| 16.0 ft | State Route 11 significantly flooded and impassable to all travel in several areas between Medway and the Penobscot River Trails in Grindstone. Homes and camps inundated. Logging roads west and near the river will be flooded. Hathaway Road flooded near the river. |
| 17.0 ft | Widespread flooding of State Route 11 from Hay Brook to Grindstone to Medway. Numerous homes, camps and campgrounds inundated. Flooding similar to April 1923. Penobscot River Trails inaccessible. Widespread flooding upstream to the Swift Brook Road in T3 R7 Wels. |
Forecast office: NWS Caribou · River Forecast Center: Northeast River Forecast Center.
Penobscot River above Grindstone in your pocket
Tidora puts this spot on your Home Screen and Lock Screen with free widgets, and sends free flood alerts before the water reaches the levels that matter to you. No account, no subscription needed for either.
Download Tidora on the App Store
Tidora is preparing for launch; these pages go fully live when the app ships.
Nearby stations and gauges
- Dolby Dam Discharge NWS gauge · 6.9 mi
- Weldon Dam Discharge NWS gauge · 14.6 mi
- Wytopitlock Stream near Reed Plantation NWS gauge · 20.9 mi
- Mattawamkeag River at Mattawamkeag NWS gauge · 21.0 mi
- Seboeis River near Shin Pond NWS gauge · 28.5 mi
- E. Branch of Penobscot Below Grand Lake Matagamon NWS gauge · 29.5 mi