Schuylkill River at Reading, PA
River level and flood forecast · Berks County
Normal5.6 ftas of Mon 3:15 PM
The river is 9.9 ft below flood stage (15.5 ft).
Forecast to fall to 3.7 ft by Thu, Oct 15, 2 PM.
Flow: 3,790 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 3:02 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 22 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 18 ft |
| Flood stage | 15.5 ft |
| Action stage | 14.5 ft |
| Record crest (June 22, 1972) | 31.3 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 26 ftThe Penn Street ramps in West Reading are flooded.
- 22 ftFlooding spreads in Reading with more roads flooded, including the east and west bound lanes of US 222/422 (West Shore Bypass). The Conrail tracks in West Reading are inundated.
- 18 ftAdditional streets in Reading are closed. West Reading begins to experience street flooding. The Reading Conrail tracks are also flooded.
- 16 ftFlooding occurs along portions of Franklin, Grape and Chestnut Streets in Reading.
- 15.5 ftFlooding begins in Reading. Portions of Water and Canal Streets are flooded.
Highest crests on record
- 31.3 ft — June 22, 1972
- 23.75 ft — June 28, 2006
- 20.4 ft — September 8, 2011
- 17.5 ft — April 16, 1983
- 17.36 ft — January 25, 1979
Recent crests: 16.95 ft (September 2, 2021) · 11.57 ft (May 1, 2014) · 20.4 ft (September 8, 2011) · 10.05 ft (August 29, 2011) · 15.01 ft (March 11, 2011)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamSchuylkill River at Berne, PA
- DownstreamSchuylkill River at Pottstown, PA
- Tulpehocken Creek near Reading, PA
- Tulpehocken Creek below Blue Marsh Dam, PA
- West Branch Brandywine Creek at Honeybrook, PA
- West Branch Perkiomen Creek at Hillegass, PA
- Little Lehigh Creek near Trexlertown, PA
- Spring Creek (PA) at Trexlertown, PA
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (RDRP1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.