Saco River at Cornish
Flood levels
Official flood levels at this gauge: action stage begins at 10.0 ft; minor flooding begins at 13.5 ft; moderate flooding begins at 15.0 ft; major flooding begins at 16.0 ft.
| Action stage | 10.0 ft |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 13.5 ft |
| Moderate flooding | 15.0 ft |
| Major flooding | 16.0 ft |
Highest recorded crests
- 21.9 ft on Mar 21, 1936 (historic crest)
- 20.5 ft on Mar 29, 1953 (historic crest)
- 16.5 ft on Apr 3, 1987 (historic crest)
- 15.1 ft on Jun 18, 1998 (historic crest)
What the water does
National Weather Service impact statements for this gauge, in the Weather Service's own words.
| 10.0 ft | Recreational floating the river is too hazardous due to strong turbulence and high flows. Faster flows along the river are expected but no flooding occurs. Campers near the river should move to higher ground. |
|---|---|
| 11.0 ft | River is out of banks and into Bonny Eagle Recreational fields and farmland off Sokokis Ave in Limington. Extreme turbulence makes the river too hazardous for recreational paddling. |
| 13.5 ft | Minor flooding occurs along River Road in Cornish and downstream in Limington. Some permanent buildings on the campgrounds become isolated. |
| 15.0 ft | Moderate flooding occurs downstream in Limington. Access roads of Island Drive and River Road become impassable. |
| 16.0 ft | Severe flooding occurs from Cornish to Bonny Eagle. This is a dangerous situation. |
| 16.5 ft | Very severe flooding occurs from Cornish to Bonny Eagle, comparable to the flood of 1987. Numerous structures become flooded with buildings on campgrounds flooded by several feet. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. |
| 20.0 ft | Extremely severe flooding occurs along the Saco River from Cornish to Bonny Eagle. This will approach the March 29, 1953 flood, which reached 20.5 feet. Inundation is around the FEMA 1 percent flood level. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation. |
| 22.0 ft | Disastrous flooding occurs along the Saco River. Record Flooding exceeding the March 21, 1936 flood, and almost 6 feet higher than the flood of 1987. Inundation is around the FEMA 0.2 percent flood level. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation. |
Forecast office: NWS Gray · River Forecast Center: Northeast River Forecast Center.
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Nearby stations and gauges
- Saco River at West Buxton NWS gauge · 13.3 mi
- Saco River at Skelton Dam NWS gauge · 19.8 mi
- Saco River near Conway NWS gauge · 19.9 mi
- Presumpscot River above West Falmouth NWS gauge · 24.6 mi
- Swift River near Conway NWS gauge · 24.8 mi
- Bearcamp River at South Tamworth NWS gauge · 25.3 mi