Lackawaxen River River Levels

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

The Lackawaxen River is a tributary of the Delaware River, located in northeast Pennsylvania.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Lackawaxen River was last observed at 433 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 859 acre-ft of water today; about 43% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 1,003 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-09-02 when daily discharge volume was observed at 46,930 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Lackawaxen River At Rowland reporting a streamflow rate of 225 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Lackawaxen River, with a gauge stage of 4.34 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Lackawaxen River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 946 ft, the Lackawaxen River Near Honesdale.

River Details

Last Updated 2025-12-05
Discharge Volume 859 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 433.1 cfs
-41.9 cfs (-8.82%)
Percent of Normal 43.18%
Maximum 46,930.0 cfs
2021-09-02
Seasonal Avg 1,003 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Lackawaxen River Near Honesdale
USGS 01430000
91 cfs 1.32 ft -20.09
Lackawaxen River At Hawley
USGS 01431500
117 cfs 2.01 ft 1.74
Lackawaxen River At Rowland
USGS 01432110
225 cfs 4.34 ft -8.54
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Lackawaxen River is a 31.3-mile-long (50.4 km) tributary of the Delaware River in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. The river flows through a largely rural area in the northern Pocono Mountains, draining an area of approximately 598 square miles (1,550 km2).
Its source is in the borough of Prompton in western Wayne County, at the confluence of the West Branch and Van Auken Creek. It flows past Honesdale and Hawley, where it is joined from the southwest by Wallenpaupack Creek. Water discharged from the Lake Wallenpaupack hydroelectric facility enters the river downstream from Hawley. The river continues east and joins the Delaware at Lackawaxen. East of Honesdale, it was deepened as part of the Delaware and Hudson Canal project.
The river is a popular destination for canoeing and recreational fly fishing for trout. It was reportedly where the American author Zane Grey first learned to fly fish.Lackawaxen is Lenape for "swift waters".