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White Clay Creek at Newark

Highest listed crest 17.13 ftFlood stage 11.5 ft11 crests since 1996

The White Clay Creek at Newark crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 11 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1996 to 2021. The highest, 17.13 ft on September 16, 1999, was major flooding, 5.63 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the White Clay Creek crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.13 ft
September 16, 1999; 16,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.5 ft
Major flooding from 16.5 ft
Crests at major
1
12th of 18 gauges in Delaware
Most recent flood crest
September 2, 2021
13.08 ft, minor flooding
Location
New Castle County
Near Newark (0.9 mi), Elkton (6.9 mi), Wilmington (12.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, White Clay Creek at Newark
Action stage10.01Oct 19, 1996The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.58Sep 2, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.01Sep 29, 2004Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.51Sep 16, 1999Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

11 crests from 1996 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the White Clay Creek at Newark, 1996 to 2021 1012141618ft Flood stage 11.5 ftMajor 16.5 ft Jan 19, 1996: 13.35 ft, minor flooding; 7,540 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1996: 10.98 ft, action stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1999: 17.13 ft, major flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2000: 11.59 ft, minor flooding; 2,740 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2003: 14.56 ft, minor flooding; 9,980 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2004: 15.71 ft, moderate flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2011: 14.60 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 2014: 13.71 ft, minor flooding; 8,590 cubic feet per secondAug 4, 2020: 13.35 ft, minor flooding; 7,850 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 2020: 11.63 ft, minor flooding; 5,556 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 13.08 ft, minor flooding; 7,295 cubic feet per second Highest, 17.13 ft, Sep 16, 1999 20002005201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, White Clay Creek at Newark 1990s: 2 2000s: 3 3 2010s: 2 2020s: 3 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, White Clay Creek at Newark
1Sep 16, 199917.13+5.63Major16,800
2Sep 29, 200415.71+4.21Moderate12,100
3Aug 28, 201114.60+3.10Minor—
4Sep 15, 200314.56+3.06Minor9,980
5May 1, 201413.71+2.21Minor8,590
6Jan 19, 199613.35+1.85Minor7,540
7Aug 4, 202013.35+1.85Minor7,850
8Sep 2, 202113.08+1.58Minor7,295
9Aug 8, 202011.63+0.13Minor5,556
10Mar 21, 200011.59+0.09Minor2,740
11Oct 19, 199610.98−0.52Action4,780

The worst floods along the White Clay Creek

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

September 16, 1999: 17.13 ft here, major flooding

  • NewarkDE · Sep 16, 1999 · 17.57 ft · Major
  • StrickersvillePA · Sep 16, 1999 · 16.71 ft · Major · its highest

September 29, 2004: 15.71 ft here, moderate flooding

August 28, 2011: 14.60 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the White Clay Creek

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

Flood gauges on the White Clay Creek
StrickersvillePA9.516.71 ft, Sep 16, 19997
Newark this gaugeDE11.517.13 ft, Sep 16, 19991
NewarkDE13.023.00 ft, Jul 5, 19378

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
Stanton17.025.52 ft, Sep 15, 20034
Wooddale7.017.62 ft, Sep 15, 200312
Newark13.023.00 ft, Jul 5, 19378

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NEKD1, 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.