Rivers in Pennsylvania
Swatara Creek at Harper Tavern
Below flood stage
1.98ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 6:15 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 9.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 1.90 ftWed, Sep 23, 8:00 AM EDT
- Record crest
- 25.60 ft1889
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 15.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 12.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 9.00 ft |
| Action | 7.00 ft |
- 18.00 ftWidespread flooding occurs with many roads, homes and businesses affected.
- 16.00 ftMost homes adjacent to the creek are affected to some degree. Numerous evacuations are necessary.
- 14.00 ftA number of homes along the creek are affected. Some evacuations are necessary.
- 12.00 ftA number of secondary roads are closed, resulting in some evacuations. A few homes are flooded.
- 10.00 ftHigh water isolates several houses.
- 9.00 ftSeveral driveways and other minor roadways are affected. Water begins to enter some basements.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 33% |
| Moderate flooding | 18% |
| Major flooding | 12% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
157 crests on NOAA’s list since 1889.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 1, 1889 | 25.60 ft |
| 2 | September 8, 2011 | 24.60 ft |
| 3 | June 23, 1972 | 23.72 ft |
| 4 | June 29, 2006 | 18.28 ft |
| 5 | September 2, 2021 | 18.01 ft |
| 6 | August 24, 1933 | 17.53 ft |
| 7 | September 19, 2004 | 17.36 ft |
| 8 | September 27, 1975 | 17.24 ft |
| 9 | July 25, 2018 | 17.15 ft |
| 10 | January 25, 1979 | 15.77 ft |
| 11 | January 20, 1996 | 15.70 ft |
| 12 | September 9, 2011 | 15.62 ft |
| 13 | November 26, 1926 | 14.60 ft |
| 14 | February 12, 1925 | 14.40 ft |
| 15 | March 11, 2011 | 14.32 ft |
| 16 | November 29, 1993 | 14.07 ft |
| 17 | March 18, 1936 | 13.75 ft |
| 18 | August 14, 2018 | 13.43 ft |
| 19 | December 5, 1950 | 13.34 ft |
| 20 | November 9, 1943 | 13.25 ft |
| 21 | October 1, 1924 | 13.20 ft |
| 22 | October 10, 1976 | 12.89 ft |
| 23 | May 23, 1942 | 12.88 ft |
| 24 | April 16, 1983 | 12.82 ft |
| 25 | December 26, 2020 | 12.68 ft |
Most recent crests
- July 2, 2025: 9.17 ft
- May 31, 2025: 10.23 ft
- April 4, 2024: 10.46 ft
- January 10, 2024: 11.77 ft
- December 19, 2023: 12.01 ft
- May 8, 2022: 9.05 ft
- February 4, 2022: 9.96 ft
- September 24, 2021: 10.23 ft
- September 2, 2021: 18.01 ft
- December 26, 2020: 12.68 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. Gauge reading may be affected by ice. Forecast flows are unadjusted for ice.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.