Shenango River near West New Castle water level

Name: Shenango River near West New Castle 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, Shenango River, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

5.53ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 07:45 PM EDT (1 hour ago)

Water temperature: 58 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Shenango River near West New Castle reads 5.53 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.48 ft, based on 9 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.05 ft above typical. It is 13.47 ft below the flood stage of 19.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.77 ft, a difference of −0.24 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.49 ft and 7.16 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 58 °F.

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.48 ft0.05 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.25 ft – 6.59 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.77 ft−0.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.49 ft – 7.16 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.36 ft – 12.86 ft
Highest on record: 20.60 ftJanuary 22, 1959

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 19.00 ft, still 13.47 ft away.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Flood of Record from March 1913. Stage is estimated based on flow from original gage site.
22.70 ft: Flood waters reach railroad tracks on right downstream bank across the river from the water company.
20.60 ft: Hundreds of homes and businesses flooded in New Castle.
19.50 ft: Water company out of operation unless sandbags have been installed.
18.60 ft: Water reaches the floor level at Water Company Pumping Station.
18.25 ft: Water reaches the gage house tabletop. Gage out of service.
18.00 ft: Basements are flooded in low lying areas of New Castle.
5.53 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 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.60 ft	January 22, 1959
2	17.60 ft	October 17, 1954
3	17.50 ft	July 17, 1958
4	17.00 ft	May 28, 1946
5	17.00 ft	January 28, 1952
6	16.80 ft	February 11, 1959
7	16.70 ft	December 31, 1942
8	16.00 ft	March 11, 1964
9	15.80 ft	March 7, 1964
10	15.00 ft	April 1, 1960

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.59 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 52° 40° – Wind 13 mph

18 Sun 58° 35° – Wind 6 mph

19 Mon 65° 37° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 65° 41° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 63° 36° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 64° 38° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 66° 42° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Shenango River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Shenango River at Pymatuning DamRiver gauge, Shenango River	138 cfs	Normal	±0	34 mi
Shenango River near TransferRiver gauge, Shenango River	175 cfs	Normal	−8.0 cfs	23 mi
Shenango River at SharpsvilleRiver gauge, Shenango River	2.43 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Beaver River at WampumRiver gauge, Beaver River	3.50 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	9 mi
Mahoning River at Lowellville OHRiver gauge, Mahoning River	882 cfs	High	−50.0 cfs	9 mi
Slippery Rock Creek at WurtemburgRiver gauge, Slippery Rock Creek	1.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	11 mi
Muddy Creek near PortersvilleRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	12.5 cfs	Normal	−2.3 cfs	13 mi
Connoquenessing Creek near ZelienopleRiver gauge, Connoquenessing Creek	2.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.15 ft	15 mi
Crab Creek at Youngstown OHRiver gauge, Crab Creek	4.14 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	16 mi
Mahoning River above West Ave at Youngstown OHRiver gauge, Mahoning River	3.87 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	17 mi
Beaver River at Beaver FallsRiver gauge, Beaver River	5.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	18 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Shenango River near West New Castle higher than last year?

No, it is 0.24 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.77 ft.

What is flood stage for the Shenango River near West New Castle?

The official flood stage is 19.00 ft. The level is currently 13.47 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Shenango River near West New Castle in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.48 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.25 ft and 6.59 ft, based on 9 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 Shenango River near West New Castle today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 07:45 PM EDT, the water level was 5.53 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Shenango River near West New Castle rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Shenango River near West New Castle normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 9 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:03104490 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.01814, -80.36328 (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	5.53 ft	2026-10-19 23:45	Provisional
Water temperature	58 °F	2026-10-19 23:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Shenango River near West New Castle (usgs:03104490). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/shenango-river-near-west-new-castle

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