Conestoga River river
Total streamflow across the Conestoga River was last observed at 1,066 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 2,114 acre-ft of water today; about 95% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 1,125 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-09-02 when daily discharge volume was observed at 29,900 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Conestoga River At Conestoga reporting a streamflow rate of 565 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Conestoga River At Lancaster with a gauge stage of 4.1 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Conestoga River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 255 ft, the Conestoga River At Lancaster.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Conestoga River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Conestoga River
All 2 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Conestoga River At Lancaster
PA
USGS 01576500
|
501 | 4.10 | 140.9 | 120% | 53 | 13,800 | 255 |
|
Conestoga River At Conestoga
PA
USGS 01576754
|
565 | 2.19 | 42.3 | 93% | 102 | 16,100 | 180 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Conestoga River
The Conestoga River is a 61-mile-long river located in southeastern Pennsylvania. It was historically used by the Native American tribes who lived in the area for fishing and transportation. The river is fed by several smaller tributaries and is home to several dams and reservoirs, including the Safe Harbor Dam, which was built in 1931 to generate hydroelectric power. The river is also used for agricultural irrigation and recreational activities, such as fishing, boating, and swimming. Despite its historical significance, the Conestoga River has faced environmental challenges in recent years, including pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial waste. However, efforts are underway to mitigate these issues and preserve the health of the river for future generations.
Recreation along the Conestoga River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Conestoga River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Conestoga River
Where does the data for the Conestoga River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.