River Report

Neponset River river

3 streamgauges 61% of normal Last updated 2026-05-22
Aggregate flow
233cfs
% of normal
61%
Daily volume
463AF
Seasonal avg
385cfs

Total streamflow across the Neponset River was last observed at 233 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 463 acre-ft of water today; about 61% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 385 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2024-01-14 when daily discharge volume was observed at 3,128 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Neponset River At Milton Village reporting a streamflow rate of 146 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Neponset River At Greenlodge St Near Canton with a gauge stage of 7.6 ft. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Neponset River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 51 ft, the Neponset River At Norwood.

Max discharge

Neponset River At Milton Village

146cfs
Highest-elevation gauge

Neponset River At Norwood

51ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Neponset River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Neponset River

All 3 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)
Neponset River At Norwood MA
USGS 01105000
20 5.90 34.2 44% 1 1,490 51
Neponset River At Greenlodge St Near Canton MA
USGS 01105554
67 7.60 -11.4 50% 1 1,700 46
Neponset River At Milton Village MA
USGS 011055566
146 1.75 -5.8 56% 10 3,190 5
Annual peaks

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

Profile

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

About this river

Neponset River

The Neponset River is a river that flows into Boston Harbor and spans over 29 miles. The river has a rich history, with the native Massachusett tribe using the river for fishing and transportation. Today, the river has several hydroelectric dams and reservoirs, including the Fowl Meadow Reservoir and the Norwood Reservoir. The river is also used for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and boating. The Neponset River Watershed Association works to protect and restore the river's ecological health and maintain water quality. The river has also been utilized for agricultural purposes, with farms located along its banks in the past. Despite some challenges with pollution and erosion, the Neponset River continues to serve as an important natural resource for the surrounding communities.

Around the river

Recreation along the Neponset River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Neponset 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.

FAQ

About the Neponset River

Where does the data for the Neponset 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.