Connecticut River at Hartford water level
Tidal gauge, Connecticut River, Connecticut, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.10 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:49 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The gauge at Connecticut River at Hartford reads 3.10 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
That puts it 0.15 ft below the median of 3.25 ft for mid-October, based on 20 years of readings. It is 12.90 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.35 ft (+0.75 ft).
The level is falling, down 0.48 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.10 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.73 ft and 4.53 ft.
Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.25 ft0.15 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.64 ft – 5.88 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.35 ft+0.75 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.73 ft – 4.53 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.92 ft – 15.09 ft
- Highest on record
- 37.60 ftMarch 21, 1936
- Forecast peak
- 5.10 ftWednesday, October 21 at 11:00 AM
What happens at each level
- 32.00 ft
- This is a serious and life threatening flood episode. Follow the direction of your local emergency management officals. If asked to evacuate, do so immediately. All flood protection measures must be rushed to completion in flood prone areas. Towns from Windsor Locks and East Windsor south through Middletown, Haddam and Portland to the river mouth at Old Saybrook will experience significant flooding outside of levees and flood protection walls.
- 30.00 ft
- This is a serious and life threatening flood episode. Follow the direction of your local emergency management officals. If asked to evacuate, do so immediately. All flood protection measures must be rushed to completion in flood prone areas. Towns from Windsor Locks and East Windsor south through Middletown, Haddam and Portland to Old Saybrook will experience significant flooding outside of levees and flood protection walls.
- 28.00 ft
- This is a serious flood episode. Follow the direction of your local emergency management officals. If asked to evacuate, do so immediately. All flood protection measures must be rushed to completion in flood prone areas. Towns from Windsor Locks and East Windsor south through Haddam and Portland will experience significant flooding outside of levees and flood protection walls. Further downstream through Cromwell, Middletown and further downstream this is a serious potentially life threatening flood.
- 26.00 ft
- Moderate flooding will occur along a large reach of the river from Windsor Locks and East Windsor, south through Haddam and Portland. Many river roads will be closed and some localized evacuations may be required. Follow the directions of local emergency management officials. Further downstream significant flooding will continue to impact low lying homes and businesses from Wethersfield south through Middletown and Middle Haddam, downstream to the mouth of the river in Old Saybrook.
- 24.00 ft
- Flooding affects some residential areas below Hartford through Rocky Hill. Upstream of Hartford, flooding is likely to affect Windsor Locks, East Windsor and Windsor. Should localized evacuations be necessary, act quickly. Further downstream major river flooding will impact towns along the Connecticut River from Middletown and Portland downstream through Chester and Essex. Many roads near the river will be flooded. Some local evacuations may be needed.
- 23.00 ft
- Flooding affects some residential areas below Hartford through Rocky Hill, including some roadways. Upstream of Hartford, flooding is likely to affect Windsor Locks, East Windsor and Windsor. Should localized evacuations be necessary, act quickly. Know alternate routes for travel in your location should roads along the river become flooded and impassable. Further downstream flooding increases through Middletown and Portland to Old Saybrook. Some evacuations of low lying areas may be needed.
- 22.00 ft
- Flooding affects some residential areas below Hartford through Rocky Hill, including some roadways. Upstream of Hartford, flooding is likely to affect Windsor Locks, East Windsor and Windsor. Should localized evacuations be necessary, act quickly. Further downstream flooding will likely result in the evacuation of low lying area along River Road in Cromwell and Meadow Road in Portland. Flooding increases from Middletown and Portland to the river mouth at Old Saybrook.
- 21.00 ft
- Flooding is expected along the river in portions of Wethersfield, Glastonbury and Rocky Hill. The high waters and swift flows will disrupt some cross river ferry services. Upstream of Hartford flooding will continue to affect portions of Windsor. Immediate river roads may become impassable. Further downstream flooding will likely result in the evacuation of low lying areas along River Road in Cromwell and River Road in Portland. Flooding increases along the river from Middletown to Old Saybrook.
- 20.00 ft
- Flooding is expected along the river in portions of Wethersfield, Glastonbury, Rocky Hill and Cromwell. The high waters and swift flows will disrupt some cross river ferry services. Upstream of Hartford, flooding will continue to affect portions of Windsor. Immediate river roads may become impassable in all of these communities. Further downstream flooding will continue to overspread sections of Portland, Middletown as well as Chester.
- 19.00 ft
- Flooding of low lying areas below Hartford is expected, especially in areas that are outside of levee protection. Flooding also affects low lying areas upstream of Hartford, including a portion of Windsor where the Farmington River empties into the Connecticut River. Further downstream flooding closes most of Meadow Road, Route 17A, in Portland. Flooding impacts the Middletown Marina and Meadow Farms. In Cromwell, portions of River Road will be closed. Flooding continues along the river through Essex.
- 18.00 ft
- Flooding of low lying areas below Hartford is expected, especially in areas that are outside of levee protection. Flooding also affects low lying areas upstream of Hartford, including a portion of Windsor where the Farmington River empties into the Connecticut River. Further downstream flooding is expected in low lying sections along the Connecticut River from Wethersfield and Glastonbury downstream through Cromwell, Middletown and Portland. Boating interests should prepare for swift river flows.
- 17.00 ft
- Lowland flooding is expected along the Connecticut River from Hartford through Wethersfield and Glastonbury, primarily outside of levee protection. This will affect several riverside roadways as well as several park and recreational facilities. Further downstream flooding is expected in low lying sections along the Connecticut River from Wethersfield and Glastonbury downstream through Cromwell, Middletown and Portland.
- 3.10 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37.60 ft | March 21, 1936 |
| 2 | 35.40 ft | September 23, 1938 |
| 3 | 30.74 ft | June 1, 1984 |
| 4 | 30.60 ft | August 20, 1955 |
| 5 | 29.30 ft | May 1, 1854 |
| 6 | 29.00 ft | December 10, 1927 |
| 7 | 28.20 ft | April 21, 1862 |
| 8 | 27.60 ft | April 7, 1960 |
| 9 | 26.70 ft | March 29, 1843 |
| 10 | 26.40 ft | April 9, 1901 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Connecticut River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut River at West LebanonRiver gauge, Connecticut River | 4.96 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 131 mi |
| Connecticut River at North WalpoleRiver gauge, Connecticut River | 7.07 ft | Below flood stage | +0.14 ft | 95 mi |
| Connecticut River near NorthfieldRiver gauge, Connecticut River | 4,690 cfs | Low | +2,740 cfs | 64 mi |
| Connecticut River at Montague CityRiver gauge, Connecticut River | 8.64 ft | Below flood stage | −0.90 ft | 56 mi |
| Connecticut River at I-391 Bridge at HolyokeRiver gauge, Connecticut River | 5.27 ft | Below flood stage | −1.50 ft | 29 mi |
| Connecticut River at ThompsonvilleRiver gauge, Connecticut River | 8.05 ft | Low | −0.52 ft | 15 mi |
| Connecticut River at Middle HaddamTidal gauge, Connecticut River | 3.51 ft | Below flood stage | +0.41 ft | 17 mi |
| Connecticut River at EssexEstuary gauge, Connecticut River | 3.28 ft | Very high | +0.52 ft | 32 mi |
| Connecticut River at Old LymeEstuary gauge, Connecticut River | 3.35 ft | Very high | +1.13 ft | 36 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Branch Park River at HartfordRiver gauge, North Branch Park River | 1.71 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 2.3 mi |
| Hockanum River near East HartfordRiver gauge, Hockanum River | 2.11 ft | Normal | −0.06 ft | 4.2 mi |
| Farmington River at TariffvilleRiver gauge, Farmington River | 1.46 ft | Normal | −0.13 ft | 11 mi |
| Farmington River at UnionvilleRiver gauge, Farmington River | 5.03 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 11 mi |
| Broad Brook at Broad BrookRiver gauge, Broad Brook | 0.51 ft | Low | ±0 | 12 mi |
| Stony Brook near West SuffieldRiver gauge, Stony Brook | 4.2 cfs | Normal | −0.3 cfs | 13 mi |
| Bunnell Brook near BurlingtonRiver gauge, Bunnell Brook | 2.15 ft | Normal | ±0 | 15 mi |
| Quinnipiac River at SouthingtonRiver gauge, Quinnipiac River | 3.15 ft | Normal | −0.01 ft | 16 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Connecticut River at Hartford compare with last year?
It is 0.75 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.35 ft.
What is flood stage for the Connecticut River at Hartford?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 12.90 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Connecticut River at Hartford in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.25 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.64 ft and 5.88 ft, based on 20 years of records.
What is the water level of Connecticut River at Hartford today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM EDT, the water level was 3.10 ft. Down 0.48 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Connecticut River at Hartford rising or falling?
Down 0.48 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Connecticut River at Hartford normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Connecticut River at Hartford?
The highest level on record is 37.60 ft on March 21, 1936.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:01190070(Agency page)- Coordinates
41.76909, -72.66755(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 3.10 ft | 2026-10-21 00:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Connecticut River at Hartford (usgs:01190070). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/connecticut/connecticut-river-at-hartford
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer