Summary
Total streamflow across the
Saco River
was last observed at
1,773
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
3,517
acre-ft of water today; about 41%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
4,366 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2011-08-29 when daily discharge volume was observed at
56,600 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Saco River At Cornish
reporting a streamflow rate of 1,300 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Saco River, with a gauge stage of
3.12 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Saco River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 486 ft, the
Saco River Near Conway.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-04 |
| Discharge Volume | 3,517 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
1,773.0 cfs
-254.0 cfs (-12.53%) |
| Percent of Normal | 40.61% |
| Maximum |
56,600.0 cfs
2011-08-29 |
| Seasonal Avg | 4,366 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Saco River Near Conway
USGS 01064500 |
473 cfs | 3.03 ft | 1.28 | |||||
|
Saco River At Cornish
USGS 01066000 |
1300 cfs | 3.12 ft | -16.67 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of 1,703 square miles (4,410 km2) of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, 136 miles (219 km) from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000 people in thirty-five towns; and historically provided transportation and water power encouraging development of the cities of Biddeford and Saco and the towns of Fryeburg and Hiram. The name "Saco" comes from the Eastern Abenaki word [sɑkohki], meaning "land where the river comes out". The Jesuit Relations, ethnographic documents from the 17th century, refer to the river as Chouacoet.