Susquehanna River at Wilkes Barre

1. 48.10 ftHeight of the instrument shelf. Inundation at this point will stop gauge from operating.
2. 42.66 ftRecord flood stage of September 9, 2011. Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee.
3. 41.00 ftMaximum effective design of levee protection for the city of Wilkes-Barre. Levee height above this level may not provide protection.
4. 40.90 ftFlood stage from Hurricane Agnes, June 24, 1972.
5. 36.00 ftNescopeck borough begins to flood.
6. 35.00 ftDundee area in Hanover Township begins to flood. US Route 11 in Edwardsville floods.
7. 33.00 ftMocanaqua begins to flood.
8. 32.00 ftMain Street in Shickshinny floods.
9. 31.00 ftHollenback Park in Wilkes-Barre, Duryea and West Pittston are affected. The Brookside area begins to flood.
10. 30.00 ftMajor flooding begins. US Route 11 in Avondale is covered by flood water. Main Street in Shickshinny begins to flood. Flooding begins to affect areas of Wilkes-Barre upstream of North Street bridge, including the Court House.
11. 29.00 ftUS Route 11 in Shickshinny is closed. River Road in Port Blanchard and West Pittston begin to flood. PP&L Riverlands facilities begin to flood.
12. 28.00 ftModerate flooding begins. US Route 11 in West Nanticoke is closed. Canal Street in West Nanticoke begins to flood.
13. 27.00 ftUS Route 11 in West Nanticoke and River Road in Plainsville begin to flood.
14. 24.00 ftCanal Street in Shickshinny and lowlands in Pittston begin to flood.
15. 22.00 ftMinor flooding begins. Lowlands in Plainsville, Plymouth Flats, West Nanticoke and Shickshinny flood. Maximum effective design of levee protection in the City of Wilkes-Barre is 41 feet.

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.

Most recent crests

• December 19, 2023: 22.51 ft
• December 26, 2020: 25.63 ft
• August 15, 2018: 28.77 ft
• January 25, 2018: 27.40 ft
• January 24, 2018: 22.83 ft
• September 9, 2011: 42.66 ft
• April 29, 2011: 27.29 ft
• March 11, 2011: 27.55 ft
• January 27, 2010: 22.83 ft
• March 5, 2008: 22.01 ft

• UpstreamSusquehanna River at Meshoppen
• DownstreamSusquehanna River at Bloomsburg
• Lackawanna River at Old Forge
• Lehigh River at F.E. Walter Dam
• Lehigh River at White Haven
• Wapwallopen Creek at Wapwallopen
• Lackawanna River at Parker St Bridge
• Tunkhannock Creek at Tunkhannock
• Huntington Creek at Jonestown
• Lackawanna River at Archbald

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.

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.