Saco River level at Conway
New Hampshire · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 01064500 — Saco River near Conway, NH · NWS forecast point CNWN3
Reading taken · as of 43 min ago
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 138 CFS, this gauge is in the lowest quarter of the 103 years USGS has recorded for this date (1904–2026), at 60% of the 229 CFS median.
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Flood stages at Conway
National Weather Service categories for gauge CNWN3, WFO GYX. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 16.0 ft · 49,610 CFS
- 16.0 ft Significant flooding along the Saco River. Hundreds of homes surrounded or isolated by floodwaters and travel in and out of the area is difficult.
- 17.0 ft Severe flooding with inundation near the FEMA 1 percent flood level. The floodwaters will be as high as the flood which occurred in Hurricane Irene in 2011, and almost 2 feet higher than the flood crest which occurred on October 30, 2017. Widespread flood levels varying up to 12 feet in depth will cover campgrounds and agricultural lands along the river. In Conway, Hillside Avenue, Washington Street, and East Side Drive flood. This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation.
- 21.0 ft Very serious flooding with inundation near the FEMA 0.2 percent flood level. The Saco River valley could suffer worse damages than from the floods of Hurricane Irene in 2011 by several feet. Access in and out of the region is very difficult with homes surrounded by floodwaters for days.
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Moderate flood 12.5 ft · 28,509 CFS
- 13.0 ft Flooding occurs on West Side Road in two sections, cutting off access to hundreds of homes. River Road flooded on the west bank impacting agricultural lands. Floodwaters inundate first floors of properties in Transvale Acres. This is a dangerous situation at riverside campgrounds.
- 14.0 ft Widespread flooding occurs along the west bank of the Saco River near Moat Brook Road, cutting off access to some homes. Flood waters enter agricultural lands in eastern Conway and into Freyburg.
- 15.0 ft Major flooding occurs in Conway and North Conway. Flood waters come up to properties off West Side Road in Conway Village. Transvale Acres severely impacted with flood water several feet deep. Permanent buildings on area campgrounds become flooded.
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Minor flood 9.0 ft · 12,443 CFS
- 9.0 ft Expect flooding of low-bottom fields and private roads in Conway and North Conway. Minor flooding in Transvale Acres, Moat Brook Bridge, and the lower part of E. Road flood.
- 10.0 ft Minor flooding occurs as floodwaters surround properties across Transvale Acres. Flood waters 1 to 2 feet deep in sections of east bank camping areas.
- 11.0 ft Flood waters 2 to 3 feet deep at east bank camping areas.
- 12.0 ft Minor flooding occurs as floodwaters reach West Side Road. Much of Transvale Acres floods from Moat Brook Bridge east to the Saco River. Numerous structures become flooded with buildings on campgrounds flooded by several feet. Campers should move to higher grounds.
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Action 7.0 ft · 6,158 CFS
- 7.0 ft Minor flooding as Moat Brook backs up and floods Transvale Road, cutting off access to a dozen homes and camps. Beaches at area camps flooded.
- 8.0 ft Flooding begins along the east bank campgrounds in Conway and North Conway. Campers along the river should move to higher ground.
- Right now 2.17 ft
NWS forecast: 2.20 ft by .
Flow history at Conway
Daily values from USGS 01064500, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for CNWN3 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Conway
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 17.71 ft | 61,649 CFS | Dec 19, 2023 |
| 17.23 ft | 55,856 CFS | Aug 29, 2011 |
| 17.20 ft | 47,200 CFS | Mar 27, 1953 |
| 17.04 ft | 46,600 CFS | Apr 1, 1987 |
| 16.45 ft | 44,500 CFS | Mar 19, 1936 |
| 16.39 ft | 43,800 CFS | Oct 24, 1959 |
| 15.61 ft | 40,500 CFS | Mar 14, 1977 |
| 15.06 ft | 35,000 CFS | Jun 30, 1973 |
| 15.04 ft | 43,326 CFS | Oct 30, 2017 |
| 14.67 ft | 36,500 CFS | Jun 14, 1998 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Saco River at Conway
In New Hampshire — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Saco Bound; New England's biggest float scene.
Saco River at Conway — common questions
3 questions
Does rain upstream change Saco River at Conway quickly?
Yes. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is Saco River at Conway high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late September here is 229 CFS, from 103 years of record (1904–2026). Today sits in the lowest quarter of those years, at 60% of the median. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 01064500 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for CNWN3 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.