Contoocook River at Peterborough water level

Name: Contoocook River at Peterborough water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Contoocook River, New Hampshire, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.76ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:30 AM EDT (21 min ago)

Flow: 76.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.60 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Contoocook River at Peterborough is at 1.76 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.74 ft below the flood stage of 5.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.60 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.65 ft and 2.07 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 15.00 ftSeptember 21, 1938
Forecast peak: 1.70 ftTuesday, October 20 at 08:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Contoocook River at Peterborough

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 5.50 ft, 3.74 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

17.50 ft: This is the maximum reportable stage of the river gage.
9.50 ft: This is a major...life threatening flood in the Peterborough area. floodwaters affect low lying businesses off of Grove Street and Wilton Road including Peterborough Plaza...and parking lots and low lying residences off of Pheasant Road including the Riverview Apartments. Significant flooding occurs along roads and low lying properties adjacent to the river including the following...Route 136...Concord Street...Jaffrey Road...Summer Street...Sharon Road...Bogle Road...and Hunt Road.
7.50 ft: Major flooding occurs in the Peterborough area. Route 136 floods near Bogle Road. Floodwaters affect low lying businesses off of Grove Street and Wilton Road including Peterborough Plaza...and parking lots and low lying residences off of Pheasant Road including the Riverview Apartments. Significant flooding occurs along roads and low lying properties adjacent to the river including the following...Concord Street...Jaffrey Road...Summer Street...Sharon Road...Bogle Road...and Hunt Road.
6.50 ft: Significant flooding occurs in Peterborough. Floodwaters inundate portions of the Peterborough Plaza parking area. Floodwaters affect low lying businesses off of Grove street and Wilton road. Flooding occurs at low lying properties along and/or stretches of the following roads...Concord Street...Summer Street...Sharon Road...Bogle Road...and Hunt Road. Inundation may occur along the parking lots off of Pheasant Road including the Riverview Apartments.
5.50 ft: Floodwaters approach low lying roads and properties in the Peterborough area...especially along Concord Street.
1.76 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.00 ft	September 21, 1938
2	7.21 ft	April 16, 2007
3	6.92 ft	March 7, 2011
4	6.82 ft	January 29, 1976
5	6.62 ft	April 6, 1987
6	6.35 ft	November 26, 1950
7	6.10 ft	October 30, 2017
8	6.03 ft	March 15, 2010
9	5.93 ft	September 12, 1960
10	5.86 ft	August 19, 1991

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 05:59 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Contoocook River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Contoocook River near HennikerRiver gauge, Contoocook River	5.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.61 ft	21 mi
Contoocook River below Hopkinton Dam at W HopkintonRiver gauge, Contoocook River	319 cfs	Normal	−223.0 cfs	25 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Souhegan River (Site Wlr-1) near MilfordRiver gauge, Souhegan River (Site Wlr-1)	3.70 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	13 mi
Millers River near WinchendonRiver gauge, Millers River	119 cfs	Normal	+25.2 cfs	14 mi
Priest Brook near WinchendonRiver gauge, Priest Brook	2.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	15 mi
Ashuelot River above The Branch, at KeeneRiver gauge, Ashuelot River	65.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	17 mi
Ashuelot River at West SwanzeyRiver gauge, Ashuelot River	6.02 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	19 mi
South Branch Piscataquog River near GoffstownRiver gauge, South Branch Piscataquog River	25.7 cfs	Normal	−2.5 cfs	19 mi
Otter River at Otter RiverRiver gauge, Otter River	33.1 cfs	Normal	−4.5 cfs	19 mi
Ashuelot River near GilsumRiver gauge, Ashuelot River	2.87 ft	Below flood stage	+0.09 ft	20 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Contoocook River at Peterborough?

The official flood stage is 5.50 ft. The level is currently 3.74 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Contoocook River at Peterborough today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:30 AM EDT, the water level was 1.76 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Contoocook River at Peterborough rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Contoocook River at Peterborough normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Contoocook River at Peterborough?

The highest level on record is 15.00 ft on September 21, 1938.

Is Contoocook River at Peterborough expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.60 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 08:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01082000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 42.86258, -71.95925 (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	1.76 ft	2026-10-20 13:30	Provisional
Flow	76.5 cfs	2026-10-20 13:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Contoocook River at Peterborough (usgs:01082000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-hampshire/contoocook-river-at-peterborough

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