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Lehigh River at Bethlehem — water level right now

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania · NWS gauge BETP1
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
16
minor flood stage
 
25.9
record crest
set 1942-05-23
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 12
minor · 16
moderate · 20
major · 22
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage22extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage20some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage16low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage12water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
125.91942-05-23+9.9 above
224.91902-02-28+8.9 above
323.381955-08-19+7.38 above
420.021972-06-23+4.02 above
519.72004-09-18+3.7 above
619.532021-09-02+3.53 above
718.71933-08-24+2.7 above
818.531935-07-10+2.53 above
917.742006-06-28+1.74 above
1017.172011-03-11+1.17 above
1117.121979-01-25+1.12 above
1217.041936-03-12+1.04 above

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Jordan Creek at Allentown 5 mi away · loading… Little Lehigh Creek at Allentown 5 mi away · loading… Little Lehigh Creek near Allentown 6 mi away · loading… Lehigh River at Glendon 8 mi away · loading… Delaware River at Easton 11 mi away · loading… Little Lehigh Creek near Trexlertown 13 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDBETP1
USGS site01453000
CountyLehigh
StatePennsylvania
NWS forecast officeMount Holly
River forecast centerMiddle Atlantic River Forecast Center
Coordinates40.615, -75.379
Time zoneEST5EDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Lehigh River at Bethlehem

Is Lehigh River at Bethlehem flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 16 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Lehigh River at Bethlehem?

major flood stage 22 ft, moderate flood stage 20 ft, minor flood stage 16 ft, action stage 12 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Lehigh River at Bethlehem?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 25.9 ft, reached on 1942-05-23 — that is 9.9 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Mount Holly and local emergency management.