Swatara Creek at Middletown water level

Name: Swatara Creek at Middletown 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, Swatara Creek, Pennsylvania, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.57ft Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT (30 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 fall to 2.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:21 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Swatara Creek at Middletown is at 2.57 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.43 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.58 ft (+0.99 ft).

It has dropped 0.18 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.50 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 02:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.77 ft and 5.86 ft.

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

Key numbers

Same day last year: 1.58 ft+0.99 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.77 ft – 5.86 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.34 ft – 10.95 ft
Highest on record: 23.29 ftSeptember 9, 2011
Forecast peak: 2.60 ftTuesday, October 20 at 02:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Swatara Creek at Middletown

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

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 8.43 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.29 ft: Flood of Record. Level of flooding associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee on September 9 2011.
20.00 ft: Widespread flooding of structures...including the trailer park at Harborton Place and Caravan Court.
18.00 ft: Widespread flooding occurs. Numerous homes are affected by high water. Route 230 is affected. Flooding begins in the vicinity of Hoffer Park.
15.00 ft: Flooding begins in the vicinity of Few Avenue and near the community swimming pool.
12.00 ft: Both banks overflow upstream of the Vine Street Bridge and several basements are affected.
11.00 ft: Minor overbank flooding begins near the Vine Street Bridge downstream to the Susquehanna River.
2.57 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: 29 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	23.29 ft	September 9, 2011
2	16.36 ft	March 12, 2011
3	16.19 ft	July 26, 2018
4	13.68 ft	December 26, 2020
5	13.46 ft	September 3, 2021
6	13.37 ft	February 5, 2022
7	12.67 ft	March 8, 2011
8	12.63 ft	April 18, 2011
9	12.57 ft	April 5, 2024
10	12.46 ft	February 23, 2026

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 68° 35° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 68° 43° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 63° 41° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 64° 40° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 60° 42° – Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 59° 36° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 62° 38° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on Swatara Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Swatara Creek near Pine GroveRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	105 cfs	Normal	−8.0 cfs	29 mi
Swatara Creek near InwoodRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	143 cfs	Normal	−14.0 cfs	22 mi
Swatara Creek at Harper TavernRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	1.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.12 ft	17 mi
Swatara Creek near PalmyraRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	3.95 ft	No reference yet	−0.14 ft	10 mi
Swatara Creek near HersheyRiver gauge, Swatara Creek	2.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Fishing Creek at GoldsboroRiver gauge, Fishing Creek	13.1 cfs	High	±0	3.1 mi
Conewago Creek near FalmouthRiver gauge, Conewago Creek	17.8 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	3.7 mi
West Conewago Creek near ManchesterRiver gauge, West Conewago Creek	188 cfs	Normal	−42.0 cfs	8 mi
Conewago Creek near BellaireRiver gauge, Conewago Creek	8.2 cfs	Normal	−1.3 cfs	8 mi
Yellow Breeches Creek near Camp HillRiver gauge, Yellow Breeches Creek	1.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	9 mi
Susquehanna River at HarrisburgRiver gauge, Susquehanna River	3.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	9 mi
Paxton Creek near GlenwoodRiver gauge, Paxton Creek	8.4 cfs	Normal	−1.9 cfs	10 mi
Codorus Creek near SaginawRiver gauge, Codorus Creek	159 cfs	Normal	+7.0 cfs	10 mi

Questions and answers

How does Swatara Creek at Middletown compare with last year?

It is 0.99 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.58 ft.

What is flood stage for Swatara Creek at Middletown?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 8.43 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 Swatara Creek at Middletown today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:15 AM EDT, the water level was 2.57 ft. Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Swatara Creek at Middletown rising or falling?

Down 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.94 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Swatara Creek at Middletown normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Swatara Creek at Middletown?

The highest level on record is 23.29 ft on September 9, 2011.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:01573600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.19255, -76.72791 (WGS84)
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	2.57 ft	2026-10-20 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Swatara Creek at Middletown (usgs:01573600). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/pennsylvania/swatara-creek-at-middletown

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