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Delaware River at Riegelsville

Highest listed crest 38.85 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft29 crests since 1903

The Delaware River at Riegelsville crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 29 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1903 to 2022. The highest, 38.85 ft on August 20, 1955, was major flooding, 16.85 feet above flood stage. 12 other gauges on the Delaware River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 8 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
38.85 ft
August 20, 1955; 340,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
6
19th of 125 gauges in New Jersey
Most recent flood crest
April 9, 2022
22.57 ft, minor flooding
Location
Warren County
Near Easton (6.5 mi), Phillipsburg (6.7 mi), Bethlehem (9.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Delaware River at Riegelsville
Action stage15.05Oct 2, 2010The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.014Apr 9, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage26.04Sep 9, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.06Jun 29, 2006Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

29 crests from 1903 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Delaware River at Riegelsville, 1903 to 2022 152025303540ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Oct 10, 1903: 35.90 ft, major flooding; 291,500 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1913: 25.00 ft, minor flooding; 144,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1936: 32.45 ft, major flooding; 237,000 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1940: 26.47 ft, moderate flooding; 154,000 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1942: 27.50 ft, moderate flooding; 164,000 cubic feet per secondDec 12, 1952: 25.40 ft, minor flooding; 140,000 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 1955: 38.85 ft, major flooding; 340,000 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 1955: 23.80 ft, minor flooding; 133,000 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1972: 20.19 ft, action stageJun 30, 1973: 24.36 ft, minor flooding; 139,000 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1973: 22.55 ft, minor flooding; 118,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1983: 24.17 ft, minor flooding; 137,000 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1984: 24.46 ft, minor flooding; 140,000 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1986: 25.16 ft, minor flooding; 147,000 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1993: 21.66 ft, action stage; 113,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1994: 17.66 ft, action stage; 78,600 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1996: 28.72 ft, moderate flooding; 187,000 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1996: 22.38 ft, minor floodingOct 30, 2003: 18.35 ft, action stage; 88,175 cubic feet per secondSep 19, 2004: 30.95 ft, major flooding; 216,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2005: 34.07 ft, major flooding; 262,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2006: 33.62 ft, major flooding; 254,000 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2010: 20.33 ft, action stageMar 8, 2011: 22.35 ft, minor flooding; 119,500 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2011: 25.20 ft, minor flooding; 147,000 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2011: 24.51 ft, minor floodingSep 9, 2011: 28.06 ft, moderate flooding; 179,600 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2021: 24.92 ft, minor flooding; 141,200 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2022: 22.57 ft, minor flooding; 118,700 cubic feet per second Highest, 38.85 ft, Aug 20, 1955 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Delaware River at Riegelsville 1900s: 1 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 1960s: 0 1970s: 2 1980s: 3 1990s: 2 2000s: 3 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 2 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Delaware River at Riegelsville
1Aug 20, 195538.85+16.85Major340,000
2Oct 10, 190335.90+13.90Major291,500
3Apr 3, 200534.07+12.07Major262,000
4Jun 29, 200633.62+11.62Major254,000
5Mar 19, 193632.45+10.45Major237,000
6Sep 19, 200430.95+8.95Major216,000
7Jan 20, 199628.72+6.72Moderate187,000
8Sep 9, 201128.06+6.06Moderate179,600
9May 24, 194227.50+5.50Moderate164,000
10Apr 1, 194026.47+4.47Moderate154,000
11Dec 12, 195225.40+3.40Minor140,000
12Mar 12, 201125.20+3.20Minor147,000
13Mar 16, 198625.16+3.16Minor147,000
14Mar 28, 191325.00+3.00Minor144,000
15Sep 2, 202124.92+2.92Minor141,200
16Aug 29, 201124.51+2.51Minor—
17May 30, 198424.46+2.46Minor140,000
18Jun 30, 197324.36+2.36Minor139,000
19Apr 17, 198324.17+2.17Minor137,000
20Oct 16, 195523.80+1.80Minor133,000
21Apr 9, 202222.57+0.57Minor118,700
22Dec 22, 197322.55+0.55Minor118,000
23Jan 28, 199622.38+0.38Minor—
24Mar 8, 201122.35+0.35Minor119,500
25Apr 2, 199321.66−0.34Action113,000
26Oct 2, 201020.33−1.67Action—
27Jun 23, 197220.19−1.81Action—
28Oct 30, 200318.35−3.65Action88,175
29Apr 15, 199417.66−4.34Action78,600

The worst floods along the Delaware River

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

August 20, 1955: 38.85 ft here, major flooding

  • EastonPA · Aug 19, 1955 · 44.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • Tocks IslandNJ · Aug 19, 1955 · 37.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • MontaguePA · Aug 19, 1955 · 35.15 ft · Major · its highest
  • StocktonPA · Aug 20, 1955 · 30.44 ft · Major · its highest
  • BelvidereNJ · Aug 19, 1955 · 30.21 ft · Major · its highest
  • TrentonNJ · Aug 20, 1955 · 28.60 ft · Major
  • FrenchtownNJ · Aug 20, 1955 · 27.79 ft · Major · its highest
  • Washington CrossingPA · Aug 20, 1955 · 27.77 ft · Major · its highest
  • BarryvilleNY · Aug 19, 1955 · 26.40 ft · Major
  • New Hope-Lambertville BridgePA · Aug 20, 1955 · 24.16 ft · Major · its highest

October 10, 1903: 35.90 ft here, major flooding

April 3, 2005: 34.07 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Delaware River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Delaware River
BarryvilleNY17.028.97 ft, Jun 28, 20062
BelvidereNJ22.030.21 ft, Aug 19, 19555
Bridesburg (IN MLLW)PA8.510.99 ft, Jan 10, 20242
Burlington (IN MLLW)PA9.311.99 ft, Jan 10, 20247
CallicoonPA12.020.38 ft, Jun 28, 20065
Delaware City (IN MLLW)DE7.59.73 ft, Oct 30, 20122
EastonPA22.044.40 ft, Aug 19, 19557
FrenchtownNJ16.027.79 ft, Aug 20, 19557
LordvillePA20.028.87 ft, Jun 28, 20061
Marcus Hook (IN MLLW)PA7.710.14 ft, Oct 30, 20124
Matamoras/Port JervisPA18.026.60 ft, Feb 12, 19814
MontaguePA25.035.15 ft, Aug 19, 19554
New Hope-Lambertville BridgePA13.024.16 ft, Aug 20, 19558
Newbold Island (IN MLLW)PA10.213.22 ft, Sep 1, 20217
Riegelsville this gaugeNJ22.038.85 ft, Aug 20, 19556
StocktonPA18.030.44 ft, Aug 20, 19555
Tocks IslandNJ21.037.40 ft, Aug 19, 19555
TrentonNJ20.030.60 ft, Mar 8, 19045
USCG Station Washington Street (IN MLLW)PA8.210.66 ft, Jan 10, 20246
Washington CrossingPA16.027.77 ft, Aug 20, 19554

Other gauges in Warren County

Flood gauges in Warren County
Belvidere4.56.33 ft, Aug 28, 20110
Belvidere22.030.21 ft, Aug 19, 19555
Tocks Island21.037.40 ft, Aug 19, 19555
Bloomsbury6.09.20 ft, Sep 2, 20210
Blairstown5.011.12 ft, Aug 19, 19550
Pequest6.06.42 ft, Sep 8, 20110

Warren County: every hazard · River floods across the country · New Jersey

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RGLN4, 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.