U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

0 40 

0 40 80 KILOME

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Base from U. S. Geological Survey digital data, Albers Equal

Area Conic projection, 1992, Standard parallels 29 ̊30' and

45 ̊30', central meridian-96 ̊,1:250,000 scale. Rainfall data

from Department of Commerce, National Weather Service,

NWSFO/NERFC, Taunton, Massachusetts

NEW YORK

CONNECTICUT

RHODE

ISLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

42 ̊

43 ̊

41 ̊ LONG ISLAND SOUND

VERMONT

73 ̊ 72 ̊ 71 ̊ 70 ̊

4

3

3

4

5

6

7

3

2

6

5

4

7

6

9

7

10 8

4

5

6

5

4

3

3

6

6

7

8

Pittsfield

Springfield

Hartford

New Haven

Worcester

Boston Brock

MARTHA'S

VINYARD

Providence

EXPLANATION

4 RAINFALL, IN INCHES–Recorded for storm of June 12-15, 1998

More than 10 inches of rain fell on 

some areas of eastern 

Massachusetts and more than 7 

inches fell on some areas of Rhode 

Island during and intense and 

prolonged rainstorm from June 12 

through June 15, 1998. On some 

streams, the magnitude of the 

floods resulting from the rain 

would be exceeded, on average, 

only once every 50 years. 

Estimated property damage from 

the June 1998 floods totaled nearly 

5 million dollars (Bryan Clain, 

Massachusetts Emergency 

Management Agency, oral 

commun., 1998)

HYDROLOGIC AND 

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 

LEADING TO THE JUNE 

1998 FLOOD

The most important fact or 

contributing to a flood is usually the 

amount of rainfall. The magnitude of a 

flood within a river basin depends on 

the amount and intensity of the rain, 

duration of a rainstorm, and the 

conditions preceding a rainstorm. The 

June 12-15 storm was unusual in its 

timing and magnitude. Most storms that 

produce large precipitation totals and 

floods in New England occur either 

from the late winter to spring or midsummer to fall. In late winter and 

spring, rain falling on snow or frozen 

ground causes snowmelt and high 

runoff. The subsequent floods are larger 

than precipitation alone would create. 

Flooding in mid-summer to fall usually 

is caused by hurricanes or occasionally 

severe summer cyclonic storms that 

commonly generate precipitation of 

high intensity and short duration. The 

June 1998 flood in eastern 

Massachusetts and Rhode Island was 

caused by an intense, slow-moving 

frontal storm.

Rivers and ground-water levels in 

most of eastern Massachusetts and 

Rhode Island were generally already 

above normal before the storm began on 

June 12. These above-normal streamflow 

and ground-water conditions were caused 

by above-normal precipitation during the 

previous month. For example, total 

precipitation for May at the National 

Weather Service (NWS) gage in Boston, 

Massachusetts was 6.85 inches, 

3.60 inches above normal, and total 

precipitation at Providence, Rhode Island 

was 6.05 inches, 2.29 inches above 

normal (National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, National 

Weather Service, accessed 

1998, at http://www.nws

noaa.gov/er/box/index.h

Maximum intensity a

maximum daily rainfall to

occurred on June 13, 1998

amounts on the following 

Rainfall totals in Massach

Rhode Island ranged from 

eastern Cape Cod and Nan

Island (fig. 1) to more than 

of rain in an area approxim

miles south of Boston (tow

Brockton and Sharon), Ma

The Flood of June 1998 in Massachusetts and Rhode I

USGS Fact She

Prepared in cooperation with the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospher

istration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS)

Figure 1. Map showing rainfall accumulations during the June 12-15, 1998 sto

southern New England
EXPLANATION

GAGING STATIONS–Select subset of USGS

 stream gaging stations identified in

 this Fact Sheet. See table for data

26

Springfield

Pittsfield

Worcester

Boston

Providence

42 ̊00'

41 ̊30'

42 ̊30'

71 ̊00'

73 ̊00 72 ̊00'

1

2

3 4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

24 23

25

26

27

28

29

30 31

32 33

34

35

36 38 37

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

MASSACHUSETTS

RHODE

ISLAND

(David Vallee, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, National 

Weather Service, written commun., 

1998). The average rainfall over the 

entire state of Rhode Island during 

this storm was about 6 inches, 

whereas western Massachusetts 

received between 3 and 5 inches of 

rain. At the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) gaging station on the 

Shawsheen River (station 9 on fig. 2 

and table 1), 8.6 inches of rain were 

recorded during this storm, with the 

most rain (5.8 inches) falling on June 

13, 1998. The storm set a new 24-hour 

precipitation record of 5.99 inches at 

the NWS gage in Boston, surpassing 

the previous record of 5.35 inches, set 

during June 9-10, 1875 (National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, National Weather 

Service, accessed July 30, 1998, at 

(http://www.nws.noaa.gov/er/

box/fcsts/BOSCLMBOS.html). The 

total precipitation for June 12-15 in 

Boston was 7.93 inches.

THE JUNE 1998 FLOOD

The USGS operates gaging stations 

(fig. 2) on rivers throughout 

Massachusetts and Rhode Island where 

water level and flow are monitored 

continuously. Many stations are 

equipped with instrumentation that 

allows the USGS, the NWS, State and 

national emergency management 

agencies, and other organizations to 

monitor remotely the current water level 

and flow of the rivers. The remote 

monitoring of gaging stations during the 

June 1998 storm allowed officials to 

provide flood warnings and manage 

response efforts in order to minimize 

damages caused by the flooding. Current 

water level and streamflow data for 

many of the USGS gaging stations are 

available on the Internet at

http://mass1.er.usgs.gov/water.htm. 

Data collected at the USGS gaging 

stations made it possible to calculate the 

recurrence interval of peak flows during 

this storm relative to previously recorded 

peak flows at the stations (table 1). 

A recurrence interval is a m

the average number of yea

events of a given magnitud

example, a 50-year flood o

in 50 years, on average, an

in-50 chance of being exce

any given year. Recurrenc

for peak flows recorded du

June 1998 flood were calc

gaging stations with more 

years of continuous record

methods recommended by 

Interagency Advisory Com

Water Data (1982). 

Recurrence intervals 

flows calculated for the Ju

flood in Massachusetts ran

1.5 year on the Hoosic Riv

46 on fig. 2 and tables 1) t

on the Aberjona, Neponse

and Threemile Rivers (stat

24, and 25). Recurrence in

peak flows in Rhode Islan

from 1.5 years on the Nipm

Usquepaug Rivers (station

37) to 15 years at the Paw

(station 34). 

Figure 2. Map showing subset of USGS gaging stations used in Massachusetts in Rhode Island (data for each shown in Table
Table 1. Comparison of peak stages and discharges during the June 12-15, 1998 rainstorm with historical pe

and discharges at selected U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island 

[Station numbers shown in figure 2; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; --, not determined; mi2, square miles; ft, feet above an arbitary datum]

Station 

No.

USGS

Station

ID No.

Station name Drainage 

area

(mi2)

Previous maximum

discharge June 12-15, 199

Date

(mo/yr)

Peak 

stage 

(ft)

Maximum

discharge 

(ft3/s)

Peak 

stage

(ft)

1Peak

dischar

(ft3/s

1 01094400 North Nashua River at Fitchburg, MA 63.4 4/87 7.78 3,510 6.42 1,710 

2 01094500 North Nashua River near Leominster, MA 110 3/36 20.53 16,300 5.24 2,450 

3 01096000 Squannacook River near W. Groton, MA 63.7 4/87 8.16 4,220 6.46 1,880 

4 01096500 Nashua River at East Pepperell, MA 435 3/36 19.10 20,900 8.15 4,300 

5 01097000 Assabet River at Maynard, MA 116 8/55 8.94 4,250 5.52 1,490 

6 01097300 Nashoba Brook near Acton, MA 12.8 1/79 5.57 679 6.89 291 

7 01099500 Concord River below River Meadow Brook at Lowell, MA 400 1/79 9.60 5,410 7.97 3,070 

8 01100000 Merrimack River below Concord River at Lowell, MA 4635 3/36 68.40 173,000 52.74 52,800 

9 01100568 Shawsheen River at Hanscom Field near Bedford, MA 2.09 10/96 6.68 373 8.69 684 

10 01100600 Shawsheen River near Wilmington, MA 36.5 10/96 10.49 1,850 9.03 1,240 

11 01101000 Parker River at Byfield, MA 21.3 10/96 7.82 883 4.26 302 

12 01101500 Ipswich River at South Middleton, MA 44.5 4/87 7.88 1,010 6.67 600 

13 01102000 Ipswich River near Ipswich, MA 125 4/87 9.43 3,550 7.20 1,950 

14 01102500 Aberjona River at Winchester, MA 24.1 1/79 15.46 1,330 15.22 1,070 

15 01103500 Charles River at Dover, MA 183 8/55 9.24 3,220 6.84 2,070 

16 01104200 Charles River at Wellesley, MA 211 3/68 6.20 2,410 5.53 1,920 

17 01104500 Charles River at Waltham, MA 227 2/76 6.54 4,150 5.51 2,230 

18 01105000 Neponset River at Norwood, MA 34.7 8/55 14.65 1,490 10.89 1,100 

19 01105500 East Branch Neponset River at Canton, MA 27.2 8/55 8.18 1,790 5.78 1,050 

20 01105600 Old Swamp River near South Weymouth, MA 4.5 5/84 5.02 590 4.97 234 

21 01105730 Indian Head River at Hanover, MA 30.3 3/68 7.13 1,390 5.52 734 

22 01105870 Jones River at Kingston, MA 15.7 3/68 4.50 575 4.40 198 

23 01108000 Taunton River near Bridgewater, MA 258 3/68 14.48 4,980 10.01 2,850 

24 01109000 Wading River near Norton, MA 43.3 3/68 11.47 1,460 11.47 1,220 

25 01109060 Threemile River at North Dighton, MA 84.3 3/68 8.30 2,490 8.89 2,870 

26 01109070 Segreganset River near Dighton, MA 10.6 3/68 7.51 867 6.15 588 

27 01110000 Quinsigamond River at North Grafton, MA 25.6 8/55 5.15 820 3.25 316 

28 01110500 Blackstone River at Northbridge, MA 139 8/55 16.74 16,900 8.75 2,920 

29 01111300 Nipmuc River near Harrisville, RI 16.0 1/79 8.53 1,840 6.56 448 

30 01111500 Branch River at Forestdale, RI 91.2 1/79 11.80 5,470 7.57 2,080 

31 01112500 Blackstone River at Woonsocket, RI 416 8/55 11.80 32,900 9.08 6,720 

32 01114000 Moshassuck River at Providence, RI 23.1 3/68 3.46 2,390 5.13 1,160 

33 01114500 Woonasquatucket River at Centerdale, RI 38.3 3/68 7.75 1,440 5.54 842 

34 01116500 Pawtuxet River at Cranston, RI 200 6/82 14.50 5,440 11.14 3,200 

35 01117000 Hunt River near East Greenwich, RI 22.9 6/82 3.73 1,020 2.56 384 

36 01117350 Chipuxet River at West Kingston, RI 9.99 6/82 -- 250 6.82 113 

37 01117420 Usquepaug River near Usquepaug, RI 39.1 6/82 9.23 1,060 6.33 347 

38 01117468 Beaver River near Usquepaug, RI 8.87 6/82 3.83 370 2.91 163 

39 01117500 Pawcatuck River at Wood River Junction, RI 100 6/82 8.75 1,860 5.25 897 

40 01117800 Wood River near Arcadia, RI 35.2 3/68 8.64 896 6.63 494 

41 01118500 Pawcatuck River at Westerly, RI 295 6/82 12.86 7,070 7.76 2,660 

42 01162500 Priest Brook near Winchendon, MA 19.4 9/38 9.90 3,000 4.87 367 

43 01170000 Deerfield River near West Deerfield, MA 557 4/87 17.71 61,700 4.87 15,200 

44 01170500 Connecticut River at Montague City, MA 7860 3/36 49.20 236,000 26.00 68,900 

45 01197500 Housatonic River near Great Barrington, MA 282 1/49 12.08 12,200 7.42 4,140 

46 01332500 Hoosic River near Williamstown, MA 126 12/48 14.85 13,000 8.48 2,950 
COMPARISON WITH THE 

OCTOBER 1996 FLOOD

The most recent storm that 

caused flooding in Massachusetts and 

Rhode Island previous to June 1998 

occurred during October 20-21, 1996. 

This storm and the June 1998 storm 

were the result of intense frontal 

systems (with local maximum rainfall 

accumulations of about 10 inches). 

The climatic conditions preceding the 

storms were similar, but the storms 

differed in areal distribution and 

intensity. The 1996 storm lasted about 

24 hours and primarily affected 

northeastern Massachusetts, eastern 

New Hampshire, and southern Maine. 

The 1998 storm lasted about 4 days 

and primarily affected southeastern 

Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

The maximum recurrence 

intervals of the peak flows recorded at 

several gages near Boston and in 

northeastern Massachusetts during the 

1996 storm were equal to or greater 

than 30 years, as exemplified by 

Nashoba Brook, Shawsheen River, 

Parker River, Ipswich River, and 

Aberjona River (stations 6, 10, 11, 13, 

and 14 on fig. 2 and table 2). The 

maximum recurrence intervals of the 

peak flows recorded during the 1998 

storm were 50 years at several gages 

in eastern Massachusetts, as 

exemplified by the Aberjona, 

Neponset, Wading, and Threemile 

Rivers (stations 14, 18, 24, and 25 on 

fig. 2 and table 1). About 7 inches of 

rain fell in the Aberjona River Basin 

during the 1996 and 1998 storms, and the 

recurrence interval for the peak flow from 

the basin during both storms was 50 years 

(station 14 on fig. 2 and table 2). The 

upper Charles River Basin did not receive 

intense rain during the 1996 rainstorm, 

but the Boston area, encompassing the 

lower Charles River Basin, received more 

than 8 inches of rain. The highest 

recurrence-interval peak flows on the 

Charles River were recorded only at the 

most downstream gage at Waltham 

(station 17 on fig. 2 and table 2), while 

lower recurrence-interval peak flows 

were recorded upstream at Dover and 

Wellesley (stations 15 and 16). The area 

of most intense rainfall was closer to the 

upper Charles River Basin during the 

1998 storm than during the 1996 storm, 

as indicated by the higher recurrence 

intervals for peak flow at the two 

upstream gaging stations for the 1998 

storm than for the 1996 storm.

—by Gene W. Parker, Kernell G. Ries 

III, and Roy S. Socolow

—with editorial and graphics help by 

Bruce E. Taggart, Mary S. Ashman, 

Barbara A. Korzendorfer, Mark V. 

Bonito, and Luis E. Menoyo

References

U.S. Interagency Advisory Committee on 

Water Data, 1982, Guidelines for 

determining flood flow frequency: U.S. 

Geological Survey, Hydrology 

Subcommittee Bulletin 17B, 183 p.

For more informa

please contact:

District Chief 

Massachusetts-Rhode Islan

28 Lord Road

Suite 280

Marlborough, MA 01752

(508) 490-5002

http://mass1.er.usg

Additional earth science inform

found by accessing the USGS H

on the World Wide Web at 

http://www.usgs.gov

Table 2.Comparison of peak stages and discharges during the October 1996 and June 12-15, 1998 rainstorms a

U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in Massachusetts 

[Station numbers shown in figure 2; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mi2, square miles; ft, feet above an arbitary datum]

Photo. USGS Hydrologist insp

flooded gaging station along 

River near Norton, Massachus

Station 

no.

USGS

Station

ID No.

Station name

Drainage 

area

(mi2)

October 20-21, 1996 rainstorm June 12-15, 19

Peak 

stage

(ft)

Peak 

discharge

 (ft3/s)

 Recurrence interval (years)Peak 

stage

(ft)

Peak d

charg

(ft3/

6 01097300 Nashoba Brook near Acton, MA 12.8 5.55 665 30 6.89 2

10 01100600 Shawsheen River near Wilmington, MA 36.5 10.49 1,850 70 9.03 1,24

11 01101000 Parker River at Byfield, MA 21.3 7.82 883 150 4.26 3

13 01102000 Ipswich River near Ipswich, MA 125 8.98 3,120 60 7.20 1,9

14 01102500 Aberjona River at Winchester, MA 24.1 16.78 1,150 50 15.22 1,0

15 01103500 Charles River at Dover, MA 183 5.13 1,370 3 6.84 2,0

16 01104200 Charles River at Wellesley, MA 211 5.16 1,440 3 5.53 1,9

17 01104500 Charles River at Waltham, MA 227 6.05 2,990 20 5.51 2,2

18 01105000 Neponset River at Norwood, MA 34.7 9.45 760 12 10.89 1,1

24 01109000 Wading River near Norton, MA 43.3 8.45 410 1.5 11.47 1,2