Fire Weather Watch
2026-01-04T17:00:00-07:00

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 214, 216, 239, 240 and 241. * TIMING...From Sunday morning through Sunday afternoon. * WINDS...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts 30 to 45 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 13 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.


Cowanesque River River Levels

Last Updated: January 3, 2026

The Cowanesque River is a 47-mile-long tributary of the Tioga River in Pennsylvania and New York.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Cowanesque River was last observed at 356 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 705 acre-ft of water today; about 42% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 849 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-08-19 when daily discharge volume was observed at 34,470 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Cowanesque River Near Lawrenceville reporting a streamflow rate of 174 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Cowanesque River At Elkland with a gauge stage of 16.6 ft. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Cowanesque River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,338 ft, the Cowanesque River At Westfield.

River Details

Last Updated 2026-01-03
Discharge Volume 705 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 355.6 cfs
+1.9 cfs (+0.54%)
Percent of Normal 41.86%
Maximum 34,470.0 cfs
2021-08-19
Seasonal Avg 849 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cowanesque River At Westfield
USGS 01518862
63 cfs 0.42 ft -4.72
Cowanesque River At Elkland
USGS 01519200
119 cfs 16.6 ft 4.39
Cowanesque River Near Lawrenceville
USGS 01520000
174 cfs 7.65 ft 0
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Cowanesque River is a 41.4-mile-long (66.6 km) tributary of the Tioga River in Potter and Tioga counties, Pennsylvania, and Steuben County, New York, in the United States. It joins the Tioga River soon after crossing from Pennsylvania into New York, near the borough of Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.The name of the Cowanesque River is of Native American origin, derived either from Go-wan-is-que ("briary or thorn bushy"), or from Ka-hwe-nes-ka ("on the long island").In Tioga County, the Cowanesque Dam was constructed by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1980. The dam created Cowanesque Lake, which helps prevent flooding within the valley. The 1,085-acre (4.39 km2) lake also facilitates various forms of recreation; the Tompkins Recreation Area and Campground is located along the lake's north shore, and the south shore hosts two day-use areas.