Smith River near Bristol water level

Name: Smith River near Bristol 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, Smith River, New Hampshire, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.11ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 42.1 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Smith River near Bristol reads 2.11 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.89 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.11 ft and 2.35 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 16.09 ftMarch 19, 1936
Forecast peak: 2.00 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 8.00 ft, still 5.89 ft away.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: Smith River Road floods in several locations from Bristol to Danbury.
14.00 ft: Flooding begins on Smith River Road.
12.00 ft: Prime farmland flooded from Bristol to Danbury.
8.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding begins.
2.11 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	16.09 ft	March 19, 1936
2	11.41 ft	May 14, 2006
3	10.77 ft	September 22, 1938
4	10.44 ft	March 27, 1953
5	10.37 ft	April 12, 1934
6	10.21 ft	April 1, 1987
7	9.27 ft	June 30, 1973
8	8.99 ft	October 21, 1996
9	8.91 ft	April 3, 1951
10	8.65 ft	April 17, 2007

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 05:57 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min First quarter 67%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cockermouth River below Hardy Brook, at GrotonRiver gauge, Cockermouth River	1.51 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	10 mi
Merrimack River at Franklin JunctionRiver gauge, Merrimack River	4.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.30 ft	11 mi
Winnipesaukee River at TiltonRiver gauge, Winnipesaukee River	2.84 ft	Below flood stage	−0.18 ft	12 mi
Pemigewasset River at PlymouthRiver gauge, Pemigewasset River	1.03 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	14 mi
Baker River near RumneyRiver gauge, Baker River	0.69 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	17 mi
Blackwater River near WebsterRiver gauge, Blackwater River	72.3 cfs	Normal	−10.8 cfs	19 mi
Sugar River 0.2 Mi below Nh 11, at SunapeeRiver gauge, Sugar River 0.2 Mi	14.4 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	21 mi
Warner River at DavisvilleRiver gauge, Warner River	3.66 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Smith River near Bristol?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.89 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 Smith River near Bristol today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 AM EDT, the water level was 2.11 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Smith River near Bristol rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Smith River near Bristol normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Smith River near Bristol?

The highest level on record is 16.09 ft on March 19, 1936.

Is Smith River near Bristol expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.70 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01078000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.56646, -71.74786 (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	2.11 ft	2026-10-20 08:30	Provisional
Flow	42.1 cfs	2026-10-20 08:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Smith River near Bristol (usgs:01078000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-hampshire/smith-river-near-bristol

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