TOTAL RIVER DISCHARGE
Total streamflow across the
Schuylkill River
was last observed at
1,439
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
2,854
acre-ft of water today; about 7%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
21,497 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2014-05-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at
203,020 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Schuylkill River At Norristown
reporting a streamflow rate of 785 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Schuylkill River, with a gauge stage of
7.96 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 6 different streamgauging stations along the Schuylkill River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 472 ft, the
Schuylkill River At Landingville.
The Schuylkill River is a 135-mile-long river that runs through eastern Pennsylvania. The river played a significant role in the development and growth of Philadelphia, as it was used as a major trade route in the 18th and 19th centuries. The river's hydrology has been impacted by industrialization, resulting in pollution and degradation. However, significant efforts have been made to improve the water quality and restore the river's ecological health. The river is home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Fairmount Dam, which provides drinking water to the city of Philadelphia. The Schuylkill River is also used for recreational purposes, including kayaking, fishing, and hiking, and supports agricultural activities such as irrigation and livestock grazing.
| Last Updated | 2024-12-25 |
| Discharge Volume | 2,854 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
1,439.0 cfs
-745.0 cfs (-34.11%) |
| Percent of Normal | 6.69% |
| Maximum |
203,020.0 cfs
2014-05-01 |
| Seasonal Avg | 21,497 cfs |
YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)
Streamflow Conditions
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Schuylkill River At Landingville
USGS 01468500 |
196 cfs | 3.12 ft | 111.89 | |||||
|
Schuylkill River At Berne
USGS 01470500 |
339 cfs | 5.12 ft | 11.51 | |||||
|
Schuylkill River At Reading
USGS 01471510 |
654 cfs | 3.35 ft | 27.73 | |||||
|
Schuylkill River At Pottstown
USGS 01472000 |
736 cfs | 1.75 ft | -20.69 | |||||
|
Schuylkill River At Norristown
USGS 01473500 |
785 cfs | 7.96 ft | -17.19 | |||||
|
Schuylkill River At Philadelphia
USGS 01474500 |
649 cfs | 5.92 ft | -10.36 |
History of the River
The Schuylkill River ( SKOOL-kil, locally SKOO-kəl) is an important river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania, which was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal. Several of its tributaries drain major parts of the center-southern and easternmost Coal Regions in the state.Originating from waters in the Anthracite Coal Region, millions of tons of coal enabling the iron and steel based industries of America's largest city of the day used the waterway to supply some of the growing American energy needs. It flows for 135 miles (217 km) to Philadelphia, where it joins the Delaware River as one of its largest tributaries.
In 1682 William Penn chose the left bank of the confluence upon which he founded the planned city of Philadelphia on lands purchased from the native Delaware nation. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River, and its whole length was once part of the Delaware people's southern territories.
The river's watershed of about 2,000 sq mi (5,180 km2) lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania, the upper portions in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachian Mountains where the folding of the mountain ridges metamorphically modified bituminous into widespread anthracite deposits located north of the Blue Mountain barrier ridge.
The source of its eastern branch is in lands now heavily mined situated one ridgeline south of Tuscarora Lake along a drainage divide from the Little Schuylkill about a mile east of the village of Tuscarora and about a mile west of Tamaqua, at Tuscarora Springs in Schuylkill County.Tuscarora Lake is one source of the Little Schuylkill River tributary.
The West Branch starts near Minersville and joins the eastern branch at the town of Schuylkill Haven. It then combines with the Little Schuylkill River downstream in the town of Port Clinton. The Tulpehocken Creek joins it at the western edge of Reading. Wissahickon Creek joins it in northwest Philadelphia. Other major tributaries include: Maiden Creek, Manatawny Creek, French Creek, and Perkiomen Creek.
The Schuylkill joins the Delaware at the site of the former Philadelphia Navy Yard, now the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, just northeast of Philadelphia International Airport.