Schuylkill River at Pottstown water level

Name: Schuylkill River at Pottstown water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.83ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:15 AM EDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,490 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.30 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:37 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Schuylkill River at Pottstown is at 2.83 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.67 ft below the flood stage of 12.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.30 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.80 ft and 2.92 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 29.97 ftJune 23, 1972
Forecast peak: 2.80 ftSunday, October 18 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Schuylkill River at Pottstown

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 12.50 ft, 9.67 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: The control building at the Sewage Treatment Plant downstream of Pottstown is flooded.
28.00 ft: The PA Route 100 bridge is closed.
25.00 ft: The aeration tanks at the Sewage Treatment Plant downstream of Pottstown is flooded.
23.00 ft: The railroad running along the river is flooded.
22.00 ft: The Hanover Street bridge is closed.
20.00 ft: Industrial Highway and the Keim Street bridge is closed. The Sewage Treatment Plant downstream of Pottstown begins to flood.
19.00 ft: Businesses in Pottstown begin to flood
18.00 ft: Additional roads in Pottstown begin to flood.
13.00 ft: Portions of PA Route 724 along the Berks/Chester county line are closed due to high water, specifically Union Township in Berks county and North Coventry Township in Chester county.
12.50 ft: Portions of PA Route 724 along the Berks/Chester county line begin to flood, specifically Union Township in Berks county and North Coventry Township in Chester county.
11.00 ft: Sewers in the Pottstown area, due to high and backwater effects, begin to flood.
2.83 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: 15 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	29.97 ft	June 23, 1972
2	21.00 ft	February 28, 1902
3	20.84 ft	June 29, 2006
4	20.15 ft	May 23, 1942
5	19.20 ft	August 24, 1933
6	18.27 ft	September 9, 2011
7	18.21 ft	January 25, 1979
8	17.98 ft	August 19, 1955
9	17.88 ft	January 27, 1976
10	16.79 ft	September 2, 2021

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.51 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 60° 41° – Wind 15 mph

18 Sun 58° 36° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 61° 39° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 67° 44° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 61° 42° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 63° 40° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 62° 43° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the Schuylkill River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Schuylkill River at LandingvilleRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	3.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	37 mi
Schuylkill River at BerneRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	5.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	27 mi
Schuylkill River at ReadingRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	3.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	16 mi
Schuylkill River at NorristownRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	8.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	18 mi
Schuylkill River at ConshohockenRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	7.52 ft	No reference yet	−0.05 ft	22 mi
Schuylkill River at Manayunk, PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	11.64 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	27 mi
Schuylkill River at PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	6.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	31 mi
Schuylkill River near 30th St at PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	0.78 ft	Normal	−1.30 ft	32 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
French Creek near PhoenixvilleRiver gauge, French Creek	43.1 cfs	Normal	−6.1 cfs	7 mi
Manatawny Creek near SpangsvilleRiver gauge, Manatawny Creek	32.2 cfs	Normal	−19.1 cfs	8 mi
Perkiomen Creek at GraterfordRiver gauge, Perkiomen Creek	1.31 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	11 mi
Marsh Creek near GlenmooreRiver gauge, Marsh Creek	5.0 cfs	Normal	−0.7 cfs	11 mi
West Branch Perkiomen Creek at HillegassRiver gauge, West Branch Perkiomen Creek	0.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	11 mi
East Branch Perkiomen Creek near SchwenksvilleRiver gauge, East Branch Perkiomen Creek	2.78 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	12 mi
Perkiomen Creek at East GreenvilleRiver gauge, Perkiomen Creek	1.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	13 mi
Marsh Creek near DowningtownRiver gauge, Marsh Creek	19.3 cfs	Normal	−9.7 cfs	13 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Schuylkill River at Pottstown?

The official flood stage is 12.50 ft. The level is currently 9.67 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 Schuylkill River at Pottstown today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:15 AM EDT, the water level was 2.83 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Schuylkill River at Pottstown rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Schuylkill River at Pottstown normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Schuylkill River at Pottstown?

The highest level on record is 29.97 ft on June 23, 1972.

Is Schuylkill River at Pottstown expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.30 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01472000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.24176, -75.65158 (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	2.83 ft	2026-10-18 08:15	Provisional
Flow	1,490 cfs	2026-10-18 08:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Schuylkill River at Pottstown (usgs:01472000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/schuylkill-river-at-pottstown

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