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SwedenConestoga River at Lancaster water level
River gauge, Conestoga River, Pennsylvania, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 360 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.00 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 11:28 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Conestoga River at Lancaster, where the gauge shows 3.86 ft.
It is 7.14 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.16 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.00 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM. The 30-day range is 3.86 ft – 4.03 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 27.90 ftJune 23, 1972
- Forecast peak
- 4.00 ftSunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 11.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 34.60 ft
- Approximate level of the FEMA 0.2% Annual Chance Flood level (500-year flood).
- 27.90 ft
- Flood of record from Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
- 27.00 ft
- Flood waters begin to reach the South Duke Street Bridge.
- 26.10 ft
- Approximate level of the FEMA 1% Annual Chance Flood level (100-year flood).
- 22.60 ft
- Flood waters begin to reach the New Holland Pike Bridge, and the Eden Road Bridge. Approximate level of the FEMA 2% Annual Chance Flood level (50-year flood).
- 20.00 ft
- Flood waters begin to reach the East King Street Bridge, the East Strawberry Street Bridge and the bridge at the water treatment facility.
- 17.00 ft
- Flood waters begin to reach the Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge.
- 15.60 ft
- Approximate level of the FEMA 10% Annual Chance Flood level (10-year flood).
- 15.00 ft
- Many homes near the river are affected by high water.
- 14.00 ft
- The footbridge near the confluence of Stauffer Run begins to flood.
- 13.00 ft
- Several homes are affected by high water.
- 11.00 ft
- Grofftown Road will flood.
- 3.86 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: 20 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27.90 ft | June 23, 1972 |
| 2 | 21.30 ft | September 8, 2011 |
| 3 | 18.49 ft | September 2, 2021 |
| 4 | 18.14 ft | January 25, 1978 |
| 5 | 17.80 ft | October 9, 2005 |
| 6 | 17.52 ft | August 24, 1933 |
| 7 | 16.70 ft | September 9, 1987 |
| 8 | 16.39 ft | September 17, 1999 |
| 9 | 15.30 ft | May 6, 1989 |
| 10 | 14.70 ft | June 28, 2006 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Conestoga River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conestoga River at ConestogaRiver gauge, Conestoga River | 577 cfs | Normal | −29.0 cfs | 9 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Spring Run near Mylin CornersRiver gauge, Big Spring Run | 1.4 cfs | Normal | −0.1 cfs | 3.8 mi |
| Pequea Creek near RonksRiver gauge, Pequea Creek | 37.6 cfs | Low | −2.3 cfs | 7 mi |
| Pequea Creek at Martic ForgeRiver gauge, Pequea Creek | 71.4 cfs | Low | −10.0 cfs | 10 mi |
| Chiques Creek near MariettaRiver gauge, Chiques Creek | 121 cfs | Very high | −42.0 cfs | 13 mi |
| Susquehanna River at MariettaRiver gauge, Susquehanna River | 34.76 ft | Below flood stage | −0.66 ft | 13 mi |
| Fishing Creek at CraleyRiver gauge, Fishing Creek | 6.0 cfs | Normal | −0.9 cfs | 14 mi |
| Kreutz Creek at StricklerRiver gauge, Kreutz Creek | 27.5 cfs | High | −5.5 cfs | 15 mi |
| Conewago Creek near BellaireRiver gauge, Conewago Creek | 9.5 cfs | Normal | −4.5 cfs | 18 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Conestoga River at Lancaster?
The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.14 ft below it.
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 Conestoga River at Lancaster today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT, the water level was 3.86 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Conestoga River at Lancaster rising or falling?
Down 0.16 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Conestoga River at Lancaster normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Conestoga River at Lancaster?
The highest level on record is 27.90 ft on June 23, 1972.
Is Conestoga River at Lancaster expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.00 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:01576500(Agency page)- Coordinates
40.05010, -76.27718(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
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 3.86 ft | 2026-10-18 15:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 360 cfs | 2026-10-18 15:15 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Conestoga River at Lancaster (usgs:01576500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/conestoga-river-at-lancaster
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