Susquehanna River at Harrisburg water level

Name: Susquehanna River at Harrisburg 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, Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.96ft Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT (45 min ago)

Flow: 15,200 cfs
Water temperature: 59 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.80 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 08:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:21 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Susquehanna River at Harrisburg reads 3.96 ft, a normal level.

It is 13.04 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.80 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 08:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.96 ft and 4.33 ft.

The water temperature at the gauge is 59 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 33.27 ftJune 24, 1972
Forecast peak: 4.00 ftMonday, October 19 at 02:00 PM

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 17.00 ft, still 13.04 ft away.

What happens at each level

37.00 ft: FEMA 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Level (500 year flood).
35.00 ft: Flood waters begin to reach the Harvey Taylor Bridge.
33.30 ft: Flood of record from Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
32.00 ft: Widespread flooding occurs on both banks. The square and central business district in Harrisburg begin to be affected.
30.00 ft: Widespread flooding occurs on both banks.
29.00 ft: FEMA 1% Annual Chance Flood Level (100-year flood). Flood waters begin to reach the Market Street Bridge.
28.00 ft: Widespread flooding occurs in the residential sections of Front and Second Streets and in the Shipoke area of Harrisburg. Flooding reaches Italian Lake Park in Harrisburg.
26.00 ft: FEMA 2% Annual Chance Flood Level (50-year flood). Flood waters begin to reach the Walnut Street Bridge. Green and Vaughn Streets flood.
24.00 ft: The residential section of Front and Second Streets in Harrisburg flood at this level. Cameron Street in Harrisburg floods due to backwater from Paxton Creek.
23.00 ft: Evacuations are necessary in the Shipoke area of Harrisburg. Listen to local emergency officials for specific details. The water level reaches the corner of Kelker and Front Streets. Delaware Street, Geiger Street and Maclay Streets may also be impacted.
22.50 ft: US 22/322 in the vicinity of the Dauphin Narrows is impacted by flood waters.
21.00 ft: Homes on both banks are affected by high water. This is the approximate level of Routes 11 and 15, upstream of the Market Street Bridge. Flood waters begin to reach South Main Street in Marysville.
3.96 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: 9 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	33.27 ft	June 24, 1972
2	29.23 ft	March 19, 1936
3	26.80 ft	June 2, 1889
4	25.70 ft	May 22, 1894
5	25.17 ft	September 9, 2011
6	25.08 ft	January 20, 1996
7	24.66 ft	January 21, 1996
8	24.40 ft	September 19, 2004
9	23.81 ft	September 27, 1975
10	21.80 ft	May 29, 1946

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 59° 36° – Wind 5 mph

19 Mon 65° 38° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 67° 44° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 63° 41° – Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 65° 40° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 63° 44° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 60° 38° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on the Susquehanna River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Susquehanna River at VestalRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	3.75 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	134 mi
Susquehanna River at OwegoRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	14.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	131 mi
Susquehanna River near WaverlyRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	2.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	121 mi
Susquehanna River at TowandaRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	0.86 ft	Below flood stage	±0	107 mi
Susquehanna River at MeshoppenRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	8.39 ft	Below flood stage	+0.06 ft	103 mi
Susquehanna River at Wilkes-BarreRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	1.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	87 mi
Susquehanna River at BloomsburgRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	2.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.13 ft	56 mi
Susquehanna River at DanvilleRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	3.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	51 mi
Susquehanna River above Dam at SunburyRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	3.07 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	42 mi
Susquehanna River at SunburyRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	7.66 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	40 mi
Susquehanna River at MariettaRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	34.95 ft	Below flood stage	+0.08 ft	23 mi
Susquehanna River at ConowingoRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	12.42 ft	Below flood stage	±0	56 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yellow Breeches Creek near Camp HillRiver gauge, Yellow Breeches Creek	1.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	2.2 mi
Paxton Creek near GlenwoodRiver gauge, Paxton Creek	11.3 cfs	High	+1.0 cfs	3.9 mi
Conodoguinet Creek near HogestownRiver gauge, Conodoguinet Creek	1.86 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	7 mi
Swatara Creek at MiddletownRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	2.67 ft	Normal	−0.18 ft	9 mi
Fishing Creek at GoldsboroRiver gauge, Fishing Creek	11.0 cfs	High	−1.4 cfs	10 mi
Swatara Creek near HersheyRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	2.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	12 mi
Conewago Creek near FalmouthRiver gauge, Conewago Creek	21.0 cfs	Normal	−1.7 cfs	13 mi
West Conewago Creek near ManchesterRiver gauge, West Conewago Creek	197 cfs	Normal	−39.0 cfs	15 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 13.04 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 Susquehanna River at Harrisburg today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM EDT, the water level was 3.96 ft. Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Susquehanna River at Harrisburg rising or falling?

Down 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Susquehanna River at Harrisburg normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Susquehanna River at Harrisburg?

The highest level on record is 33.27 ft on June 24, 1972.

Is Susquehanna River at Harrisburg expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.80 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 08:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01570500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.25474, -76.88605 (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	3.96 ft	2026-10-19 19:00	Provisional
Flow	15,200 cfs	2026-10-19 19:00	Provisional
Water temperature	59 °F	2026-10-19 19:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Susquehanna River at Harrisburg (usgs:01570500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/susquehanna-river-at-harrisburg

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