USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
01453000 LEHIGH RIVER AT BETHLEHEM, PA
LOCATION - Lat 40°36'55", long 75°22'45" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Lehigh County, PA, Hydrologic Unit 02040106, on left bank 110 ft upstream from bridge on New Street at Bethlehem, and 1,800 ft upstream from Monocacy Creek. Records include flow of Monocacy Creek.
DRAINAGE AREA - 1,279 mi². (includes that of Monocacy Creek).
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 261: 1903-5. WSP 321: 1910-11. WSP 1051: Drainage area. WSP 1141: 1929-34(M). WSP 1302: 1914(M), 1916(M), 1918, 1921, 1927-28. WSP 1432: 1903, 1919(M), 1920-21, 1929, 1933.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1902 to January 1905, May 1909 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1302. Published as "at South Bethlehem" prior to October 1913.
GAGE -
Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 210.26 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Prior to October 1928, non-recording gage at New Street bridge 120 ft downstream at same datum. (Drainage area of 1,229 mi² does not include Monocacy Creek.) Oct. 1, 1928, to Sept. 30, 1962, water-stage recorder at site 4,250 ft downstream at datum 2.49 ft lower. Oct. 1, 1963, to Dec. 14, 1975, water-stage recorder at site 40 ft downstream at same datum. Prior to August 2, 2023, the datum was reported as 210.94 ft above NGVD 29. Satellite and landline telemetry at station.
COOPERATION - Station established and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey. Funding for the operation of this station is provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Geological Survey through the Cooperative Water Program.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Feb. 28, 1902 reached a stage of 24.9 ft, from floodmark, present site and datum, discharge, about 88,000 ft³/s.