Housatonic River river
Total streamflow across the Housatonic River was last observed at 2,580 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 5,117 acre-ft of water today; about 44% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 5,858 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-09-09 when daily discharge volume was observed at 92,490 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Housatonic River At Gaylordsville reporting a streamflow rate of 953 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Housatonic River, with a gauge stage of 2.91 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the Housatonic River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 693 ft, the Housatonic River Near Great Barrington.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Housatonic River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Housatonic River
All 5 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Housatonic River Near Great Barrington
MA
USGS 01197500
|
234 | 2.17 | -6.0 | 48% | 34 | 12,200 | 693 |
|
Housatonic River Nr Ashley Falls
MA
USGS 01198125
|
423 | 2.85 | -6.8 | 54% | 70 | 15,500 | 646 |
|
Housatonic River At Falls Village
CT
USGS 01199000
|
536 | 2.61 | -8.4 | 48% | 81 | 23,900 | 536 |
|
Housatonic River At Gaylordsville
CT
USGS 01200500
|
953 | 2.91 | -3.8 | 52% | 106 | 51,800 | 239 |
|
Housatonic River At Stevenson
CT
USGS 01205500
|
434 | 2.40 | -6.3 | 23% | 168 | 75,800 | 38 |
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
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a 149-mile long river that flows through western Massachusetts and Connecticut, ending in Long Island Sound. The river has a rich history, having been used for transportation and industry since the 1700s. Today, the river is used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and hiking. The Housatonic River is also used for agriculture, with some farms located along its banks. The river's hydrology has been greatly affected by the construction of several dams and reservoirs, including the Stevenson Dam and the Housatonic River Basin. These structures have helped to regulate the river's flow and provide water for surrounding communities. However, they have also had negative impacts on the river's ecosystem and fish populations.
Recreation along the Housatonic River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Housatonic 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 Housatonic River
Where does the data for the Housatonic 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.