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Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport water level

River gauge, Allegheny River, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

10.38ft Up 0.60 ft over the last 24 hours

Water temperature
61 °F
10 20 30 Highest onrecord 33.30 ft Minor floodstage 23.00 ft

History

101112ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 21Oct 23Oct 26101112ftOct 16Oct 21Oct 26
1012ftSep 22Sep 30Oct 9Oct 17Oct 261012ftSep 22Oct 9Oct 26
101520ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage101520ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
101520ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026101520ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:45 PM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport is above normal at 10.38 ft.

That puts it 0.54 ft above the median of 9.84 ft for late October, based on 11 years of readings. It is 12.62 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 10.02 ft (+0.36 ft).

It has risen 0.60 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 61 °F.

Compared with 11 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
9.84 ft0.54 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
9.76 ft – 10.83 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (11 years of records)
Same day last year
10.02 ft+0.36 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
9.69 ft – 11.53 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
9.48 ft – 17.45 ft
Highest on record
33.30 ftMarch 18, 1936
Forecast peak
10.50 ftWednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 23.00 ft, 12.62 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

33.29 ft
Water reaches the record flood level of the ST. Patricks Day Flood and crest on March 18, 1936.
25.00 ft
Some buildings in the industrial park 1/4 mile upstream from the Lock begin to flood.
24.10 ft
Water reaches the level reached during Hurricane Ivan September 18, 2004. Freeport received 6 inches of rain.
22.80 ft
Backwater from Buffalo Creek surrounds the sewage disposal plant on Lower Market Street. Basements on First, Second and Lower High and Market Streets in town begin to flood.
20.20 ft
Lock walls overtopped.
16.00 ft
Navigation suspended. Lock out of service.
10.38 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

RankLevelDate
133.30 ftMarch 18, 1936
225.70 ftDecember 30, 1942
325.30 ftMarch 10, 1964
425.00 ftJanuary 20, 1996
524.80 ftJanuary 22, 1959
624.50 ftJune 23, 1972
724.10 ftSeptember 18, 2004
823.60 ftMarch 16, 2007
923.30 ftMarch 5, 1964
1022.70 ftFebruary 14, 1966

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 63° 38° – Wind 4 mph
22 Thu 64° 37° – Wind 6 mph
23 Fri 61° 41° – Wind 5 mph
24 Sat 63° 39° – Wind 5 mph
25 Sun 65° 41° – Wind 4 mph
26 Mon 66° 45° – Wind 6 mph
27 Tue 63° 42° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:31 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Allegheny River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Allegheny River at Kinzua DamRiver gauge, Allegheny River 2,290 cfs Normal ±0 87 mi
Allegheny River below Conewango Creek at WarrenRiver gauge, Allegheny River 3.20 ft Below flood stage ±0 84 mi
Allegheny River at West HickoryRiver gauge, Allegheny River 3.86 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 63 mi
Allegheny River at FranklinRiver gauge, Allegheny River 3.49 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 49 mi
Allegheny River at ParkerRiver gauge, Allegheny River 2.65 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 29 mi
Allegheny River near RimerRiver gauge, Allegheny River 9.41 ft Normal +0.03 ft 20 mi
Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 8 near TempletonRiver gauge, Allegheny River 9.51 ft Normal −0.17 ft 18 mi
Allegheny River at KittanningRiver gauge, Allegheny River 10.60 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 12 mi
Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 6 at ClintonRiver gauge, Allegheny River 10.55 ft Below flood stage ±0 5.0 mi
Allegheny River below Lock & Dam 6 at ClintonRiver gauge, Allegheny River 10.33 ft Normal +0.57 ft 5.0 mi
Allegheny River below Lock & Dam 5 near FreeportRiver gauge, Allegheny River 11.21 ft Normal +0.02 ft 0.1 mi
Allegheny River at NatronaRiver gauge, Allegheny River 11.24 ft Below flood stage +0.05 ft 5.5 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Buffalo Creek at Iron BridgeRiver gauge, Buffalo Creek 98.3 cfs High −9.7 cfs 3.5 mi
Allegheny River (lower pool) at NatronaRiver gauge, Allegheny River (lower pool) 10.96 ft Normal +0.08 ft 5.7 mi
Kiskiminetas River at VandergriftRiver gauge, Kiskiminetas River 5.80 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 8 mi
Crooked Creek at Crooked Creek Dam near Ford CityRiver gauge, Crooked Creek 2.21 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 9 mi
Crooked Creek Lake near Ford CityLake, Crooked Creek Lake 844.01 ft Normal −0.17 ft 9 mi
Allegheny River (lower pool) at KittanningRiver gauge, Allegheny River (lower pool) 10.91 ft Normal −0.02 ft 12 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport compare with last year?

It is 0.36 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 10.02 ft.

What is flood stage for the Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 12.62 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport in late October?

The median for late October is 9.84 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 9.76 ft and 10.83 ft, based on 11 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 05:30 AM EDT, the water level was 10.38 ft. Up 0.60 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport rising or falling?

Up 0.60 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.47 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport normal?

High for late October. Compared with 11 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:03039040 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.68472, -79.66750 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 10.38 ft 2026-10-21 09:30 Provisional
Water temperature 61 °F 2026-10-21 09:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Allegheny River at Lock & Dam 5 near Freeport (usgs:03039040). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/allegheny-river-at-lock-and-dam-5-near-freeport

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer