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Red Clay Creek at Stanton

Highest listed crest 25.52 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft22 crests since 1989

The Red Clay Creek at Stanton crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 22 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1989 to 2024. The highest, 25.52 ft on September 15, 2003, was major flooding, 8.52 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Red Clay Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.52 ft
September 15, 2003; 35,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major
4
8th of 18 gauges in Delaware
Most recent flood crest
January 10, 2024
17.13 ft, minor flooding
Location
New Castle County
Near Wilmington (5.9 mi), Newark (6.8 mi), Elkton (12.3 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Red Clay Creek at Stanton
Action stage16.02Apr 2, 2005The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.012Jan 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.01Aug 8, 2020Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage23.04Aug 28, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

22 crests from 1989 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Red Clay Creek at Stanton, 1989 to 2024 14161820222426ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 23.0 ft Jul 5, 1989: 19.35 ft, minor flooding; 5,320 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1993: 15.31 ft, below flood stage; 2,280 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1994: 19.11 ft, minor flooding; 5,110 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1995: 15.21 ft, below flood stage; 1,850 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1996: 19.38 ft, minor flooding; 5,330 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1996: 16.78 ft, action stage; 2,980 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 23.50 ft, major flooding; 8,260 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2000: 19.01 ft, minor flooding; 4,200 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2000: 17.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,140 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2003: 25.52 ft, major flooding; 35,600 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2004: 23.43 ft, major floodingMar 28, 2005: 17.49 ft, minor flooding; 3,780 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2005: 16.56 ft, action stage; 3,145 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 23.18 ft, major floodingOct 11, 2013: 15.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,447 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2014: 19.97 ft, minor flooding; 6,401 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 2020: 20.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,670 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2020: 21.41 ft, moderate flooding; 10,158 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2020: 17.24 ft, minor flooding; 3,612 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 17.66 ft, minor flooding; 3,901 cubic feet per secondDec 18, 2023: 17.11 ft, minor flooding; 3,523 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 2024: 17.13 ft, minor flooding; 3,537 cubic feet per second Highest, 25.52 ft, Sep 15, 2003 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Red Clay Creek at Stanton 1980s: 1 1990s: 3 2000s: 5 2010s: 2 2020s: 6 6 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Red Clay Creek at Stanton
1Sep 15, 200325.52+8.52Major35,600
2Sep 16, 199923.50+6.50Major8,260
3Sep 29, 200423.43+6.43Major—
4Aug 28, 201123.18+6.18Major—
5Aug 8, 202021.41+4.41Moderate10,158
6Aug 4, 202020.08+3.08Minor6,670
7May 1, 201419.97+2.97Minor6,401
8Jan 19, 199619.38+2.38Minor5,330
9Jul 5, 198919.35+2.35Minor5,320
10Jan 28, 199419.11+2.11Minor5,110
11Mar 22, 200019.01+2.01Minor4,200
12Sep 2, 202117.66+0.66Minor3,901
13Mar 28, 200517.49+0.49Minor3,780
14Dec 1, 202017.24+0.24Minor3,612
15Jan 10, 202417.13+0.13Minor3,537
16Dec 18, 202317.11+0.11Minor3,523
17Dec 17, 200017.10+0.10Minor3,140
18Oct 19, 199616.78−0.22Action2,980
19Apr 2, 200516.56−0.44Action3,145
20Mar 4, 199315.31−1.69Below flood stage2,280
21Oct 11, 201315.30−1.70Below flood stage2,447
22Mar 8, 199515.21−1.79Below flood stage1,850

The worst floods along the Red Clay Creek

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Red Clay Creek that crested above flood stage within a week.

September 15, 2003: 25.52 ft here, major flooding

  • WooddaleDE · Sep 15, 2003 · 17.62 ft · Major · its highest

September 16, 1999: 23.50 ft here, major flooding

  • WooddaleDE · Sep 16, 1999 · 13.93 ft · Major

September 29, 2004: 23.43 ft here, major flooding

  • WooddaleDE · Sep 28, 2004 · 13.53 ft · Major

Gauges on the Red Clay Creek

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Red Clay Creek
WooddaleDE7.017.62 ft, Sep 15, 200312
Stanton this gaugeDE17.025.52 ft, Sep 15, 20034

Other gauges in New Castle County

Flood gauges in New Castle County
Coochs Bridge11.014.00 ft, Aug 4, 20206
Newport (IN MLLW)7.210.11 ft, Oct 30, 20125
Wilmington (IN MLLW)7.49.91 ft, Oct 30, 20123
Delaware Bay at Reedy Point (IN MLLW)7.29.24 ft, Apr 16, 20111
Delaware City (IN MLLW)7.59.73 ft, Oct 30, 20122
Wooddale7.017.62 ft, Sep 15, 200312
Newark11.517.13 ft, Sep 16, 19991
Newark13.023.00 ft, Jul 5, 19378

New Castle County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Delaware

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge STND1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.