Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia water level

Name: Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia 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

Very high for mid-October

Water level

4.56ft Up 0.81 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:15 PM EDT (29 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:17 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia shows 4.56 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 3.64 ft above the median of 0.93 ft for mid-October, based on 10 years of readings. It is 4.44 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.96 ft (+3.60 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.81 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. Over the past 30 days it has moved between −2.88 ft and 4.56 ft.

Compared with 10 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.93 ft3.64 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.14 ft – 1.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (10 years of records)
Same day last year: 0.96 ft+3.60 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: −2.88 ft – 4.56 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: −1.62 ft – 2.96 ft
Highest on record: 16.28 ftSeptember 2, 2021
Forecast peak: 5.50 ftWednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM

High water at Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia

The National Weather Service splits flooding into minor, moderate and major flood stage, each tied to what starts to go under water at this particular gauge. Minor flooding usually means low roads, parks and farmland; major flooding reaches homes and businesses.

Keep children and dogs well back from the edge, and stay off flooded footpaths and towpaths.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: The Vine Street Expressway (676) floods, from 22nd Street to Broad Street, as water from the Schuylkill flows down its on-ramps. I-76 floods near 30th Street Station and is closed. Residential and commercial properties flood between the Benjamin Franklin Parkway south to Locust Street, extending from the river east to 22nd Street. Roadway flooding occurs on 21st Street. The tracks at 30th Street Station are submerged. Commercial properties adjacent to 30th Street Station take on water as well.
15.00 ft: Water levels rise up to the top of the Schuylkill River Trail Boardwalk railings (near Locust Street).
13.00 ft: The road under 30th Street between Ludlow Street and Lower Walnut Street in University City floods as back flow from the river comes through drains and underground piping.
11.00 ft: The Schuylkill River Trail Boardwalk near Locust Street floods. Flooding increase near 25th Street and Locust Street and inundates first floor properties.
10.00 ft: South 24th Street floods between Ludlow Street and Armory Street. Train tracks adjacent to the Schuylkill River Trail flood.
9.50 ft: 25th Street and Locust Street floods as water flows across the Schuylkill River Trail.
9.00 ft: Water tops the upper level of the Schuylkill River Trail between Market street and Chesnut Street as well as Cherry Street and Locust Street.
5.00 ft: The river tops the bulkhead near Locust Street and begins to flood the grassy area between the river and the Schuylkill River Trail. The Schuylkill River Trail begins to flood between Cherry and Locust Streets (Lower portion of trail at the bottom of the steps). The bike and walking path in Bartram's Garden near South 51st Street floods and becomes impassable.
4.56 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.28 ft	September 2, 2021
2	11.81 ft	August 5, 2020
3	11.58 ft	July 12, 2019
4	9.76 ft	January 10, 2024
5	7.99 ft	December 25, 2020

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.06 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 64° 42° 0.03 in, 51% Wind 14 mph

18 Sun 58° 38° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 63° 43° – Wind 12 mph

20 Tue 66° 51° – Wind 13 mph

21 Wed 63° 48° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 66° 47° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 64° 51° – Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the Schuylkill River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Schuylkill River at LandingvilleRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	3.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	68 mi
Schuylkill River at BerneRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	5.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	58 mi
Schuylkill River at ReadingRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	3.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	48 mi
Schuylkill River at PottstownRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	2.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.26 ft	32 mi
Schuylkill River at NorristownRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	8.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	14 mi
Schuylkill River at ConshohockenRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	7.17 ft	No reference yet	−0.16 ft	10 mi
Schuylkill River at Manayunk, PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	11.30 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	5.4 mi
Schuylkill River at PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Schuylkill River	6.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	0.9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cobbs Creek at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Cobbs Creek	2.09 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	3.5 mi
Wissahickon Creek at Mouth, PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Wissahickon Creek	73.3 cfs	Normal	±0	4.3 mi
Darby Creek near DarbyRiver gauge, Darby Creek	31.6 cfs	Normal	−1.2 cfs	5.2 mi
Cobbs Cr at U.S. Hghwy No. 1 at PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Cobbs Cr	3.3 cfs	Normal	±0	5.4 mi
Darby Creek at 84th St Bridge at EastwickRiver gauge, Darby Creek	4.18 ft	Very high	+0.26 ft	5.6 mi
Frankford Creek at Castor Ave, PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Frankford Creek	1.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	6.0 mi
Tacony Creek above Adams Avenue, PhiladelphiaRiver gauge, Tacony Creek	12.5 cfs	Normal	+1.8 cfs	7 mi
Cooper River at Haddonfield NJRiver gauge, Cooper River	1.34 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	9 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia compare with last year?

It is 3.60 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.96 ft.

What is flood stage for the Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 4.44 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 0.93 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.14 ft and 1.41 ft, based on 10 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 Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:15 PM EDT, the water level was 4.56 ft. Up 0.81 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia rising or falling?

Up 0.81 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 3.71 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 10 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:01474501 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.95664, -75.18031 (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	4.56 ft	2026-10-21 01:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Schuylkill River near 30th St at Philadelphia (usgs:01474501). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/schuylkill-river-near-30th-st-at-philadelphia

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