Farmington River river
Total streamflow across the Farmington River was last observed at 669 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,327 acre-ft of water today; about 33% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 1,997 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-08-30 when daily discharge volume was observed at 19,350 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Farmington River At Tariffville reporting a streamflow rate of 410 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Farmington River At Unionville with a gauge stage of 5.07 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Farmington River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 180 ft, the Farmington River At Unionville.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Farmington River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Farmington River
All 2 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Farmington River At Unionville
CT
USGS 01188090
|
259 | 5.07 | -8.2 | 35% | 68 | 26,600 | 180 |
|
Farmington River At Tariffville
CT
USGS 01189995
|
410 | 1.39 | -8.1 | 35% | 128 | 29,900 | 161 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Farmington River
The Farmington River is a 50-mile-long river located in Connecticut, USA. The river has a rich history, dating back to the early 1600s, when it was used for transportation, agriculture, and fishing. Today, the river is used for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and tubing. The Farmington River has several reservoirs and dams, including the West Branch Reservoir, Barkhamsted Reservoir, and Nepaug Reservoir. These reservoirs provide drinking water to nearby communities and also help regulate the river during periods of low flow. The river's hydrology is influenced by several factors, including precipitation, snow melt, and groundwater discharge. Despite being a popular recreational destination, the Farmington River also supports agriculture, providing water for crops and livestock.
Recreation along the Farmington River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Fishing
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Lake Quassapaug
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Reservoir Number 2
- Seymour Reservoir Number 2
Paddle runs
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
Track the Farmington River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Farmington River
Where does the data for the Farmington River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.