Cowanesque River River Levels

Last Updated: March 25, 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 1,291 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 2,561 acre-ft of water today; about 171% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 756 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 618 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Cowanesque River At Elkland with a gauge stage of 17.42 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.




15-Day Weather Outlook


River Details

Last Updated 2026-03-25
Discharge Volume 2,561 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 1,291.0 cfs
-772.0 cfs (-37.42%)
Percent of Normal 170.79%
Maximum 34,470.0 cfs
2021-08-19
Seasonal Avg 756 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cowanesque River At Westfield
USGS 01518862
219 cfs 1.46 ft -15.44
Cowanesque River At Elkland
USGS 01519200
454 cfs 17.42 ft -24.83
Cowanesque River Near Lawrenceville
USGS 01520000
618 cfs 8.42 ft -48.5
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.