West Branch Delaware River level at Hale Eddy
New York · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 01426500 — WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY · NWS forecast point HLEN6
Reading taken · as of 18 min ago
About normal for the date
At 637 CFS, this gauge is running 101% of normal for mid-September — close to the 629 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 62 years of record (1964–2026).
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Flood stages at Hale Eddy
National Weather Service categories for gauge HLEN6, WFO BGM. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 15.0 ft · 24,400 CFS
- 15.0 ft Major Flood Stage. Above 15 feet, riverside campgrounds and resorts are flooded. River water crosses portions of River Road, Faulkner Road and Sherman Creek Road. Some homes in the area are flooded. In Hancock, river water spreads across S. Pennsylvania Avenue, and affects portions of Old State Road and W. Main Street near Exit 87 off Route 17. There is also considerable backwater flooding in the Village along Sands Creek and Shehawken Creek.
- 16.8 ft FEMA flood insurance maps indicate that a river level of 16.8 feet corresponds to the water elevation associated with the 1 percent (100 year) flood zone. If your property is determined to be in this zone, then it is at a high risk for flooding during major floods. This magnitude of flooding has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any year.
- 19.1 ft This level is the modern day record flood of June 2006. Widespread flooding occurred from Cannonsville Dam to Hancock with catastrophic property and infrastructure damages.
- 20.3 ft This level is the all-time, historic flood of record before the existence of the stream gauge at this location. The flood occurred on October 9, 1903, and is commonly known as the Pumpkin Flood.
- 24.4 ft FEMA flood insurance maps indicate that a river level of 24.4 feet corresponds to the water elevation associated with the 0.2 percent (500 year) flood zone. If your property is determined to be in this zone, then it is at a high risk for flooding during a record flood event. This magnitude of flooding has a 0.2 percent chance of occurring in any year.
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Moderate flood 13.0 ft · 18,000 CFS
- 13.0 ft Moderate Flood Stage. Between 13 and 15 feet, flooding of farm lands adjacent to the river intensifies. River water encroaches onto properties along parts of River Road and Sherman Creek Road. Winterdale Road and River Road in Hancock are flooded.
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Minor flood 11.0 ft · 12,500 CFS
- 11.0 ft Minor Flood Stage. Between 11 and 13 feet, minor flooding of farm lands adjacent to the river begins. River flooding affects Winterdale Road and River road in the Village of Hancock.
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Action 9.0 ft
- Right now 3.02 ft
NWS forecast: 3.20 ft by .
Flow history at Hale Eddy
Daily values from USGS 01426500, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for HLEN6 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Hale Eddy
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 20.30 ft | 46,000 CFS | Oct 10, 1903 |
| 19.10 ft | 40,100 CFS | Jun 28, 2006 |
| 15.80 ft | 26,500 CFS | Sep 30, 1924 |
| 15.70 ft | 28,900 CFS | Mar 22, 1948 |
| 15.60 ft | 25,600 CFS | Sep 22, 1938 |
| 15.30 ft | 25,000 CFS | Mar 27, 1913 |
| 15.24 ft | — | Feb 16, 1939 |
| 15.15 ft | — | Mar 9, 1950 |
| 15.00 ft | 11,400 CFS | Mar 17, 1923 |
| 14.97 ft | 23,400 CFS | Mar 31, 1940 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About West Branch Delaware River at Hale Eddy
In New York — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Premier Eastern tailwater; Cannonsville releases.
West Branch Delaware River at Hale Eddy — common questions
3 questions
What makes the flow change on West Branch Delaware River at Hale Eddy?
Rain upstream, plus seasonal baseflow. The 12-month chart shows how it behaves through the year.
Is West Branch Delaware River at Hale Eddy high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 629 CFS, from 62 years of record (1964–2026). Today is 101% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 01426500 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for HLEN6 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.