Lehigh River river
Total streamflow across the Lehigh River was last observed at 10,359 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 20,547 acre-ft of water today; about 101% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 10,238 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-09-02 when daily discharge volume was observed at 176,670 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Lehigh River At Bethlehem reporting a streamflow rate of 2,960 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Lehigh River At Glendon with a gauge stage of 8.91 ft. This river is monitored from 6 different streamgauging stations along the Lehigh River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,461 ft, the Lehigh River At Stoddartsville.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Lehigh River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Lehigh River
All 6 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lehigh River At Stoddartsville
PA
USGS 01447500
|
275 | 1.44 | -8.6 | 163% | 11 | 8,770 | 1,461 |
|
Lehigh R Bl Francis E Walter Res Nr White Haven Pa
PA
USGS 01447800
|
804 | 4.34 | 0.0 | 162% | 47 | 8,080 | 1,220 |
|
Lehigh River At Lehighton
PA
USGS 01449000
|
1,550 | 3.96 | 20.2 | 144% | 175 | 25,100 | 444 |
|
Lehigh River At Walnutport
PA
USGS 01451000
|
1,810 | 3.16 | 11.0 | 111% | 215 | 45,300 | 352 |
|
Lehigh River At Bethlehem
PA
USGS 01453000
|
2,960 | 2.61 | 18.4 | 118% | 437 | 49,100 | 211 |
|
Lehigh River At Glendon
PA
USGS 01454700
|
2,960 | 8.91 | 30.4 | 150% | 512 | 48,400 | 174 |
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
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River is a 109-mile-long river located in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. It is a primary tributary of the Delaware River and has a significant historical background, as it played a vital role in the industrial development of the Lehigh Valley in the 19th century. The river is fed by many small streams, and its watershed covers an area of about 1,360 square miles. There are several dams and reservoirs built along the river, including the Francis E. Walter Dam, which serves as a flood control and hydroelectric facility. The river is used for various recreational activities, including whitewater rafting, fishing, and kayaking. Additionally, the river is used for agricultural purposes, such as irrigation and grazing. The Lehigh River is a vital natural resource for the region, and it continues to serve as an essential economic, recreational, and ecological asset.
Recreation along the Lehigh River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Lehigh 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 Lehigh River
Where does the data for the Lehigh 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.