Cowanesque River River Levels

Last Updated: February 12, 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 76 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 151 acre-ft of water today; about 14% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 537 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 At Elkland reporting a streamflow rate of 90.4 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Cowanesque River, with a gauge stage of 16.83 ft at this location. 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 2026-02-12
Discharge Volume 151 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 76.3 cfs
-3.1 cfs (-3.9%)
Percent of Normal 14.2%
Maximum 34,470.0 cfs
2021-08-19
Seasonal Avg 537 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cowanesque River At Westfield
USGS 01518862
25 cfs 0 ft -11.23
Cowanesque River At Elkland
USGS 01519200
90 cfs 16.83 ft 5.12
Cowanesque River Near Lawrenceville
USGS 01520000
52 cfs 7.34 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.