River guide
River story
History, landscapes and river context
Fishing
Species, water and places to explore
Boating
Paddling, boating and access
Live data
Current USGS gauges along the river
LIVE ALLEGHENY RIVER DATA
Allegheny River levels, gauges and monitoring stations
Check the live river overview or open an individual USGS gauge for current streamflow, gauge height, trends and historical context.
EXPLORE THE RIVER
Follow the Allegheny River
Follow the Allegheny from the upper river through western Pennsylvania to its confluence with the Monongahela at Pittsburgh.
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River path derived from U.S. Geological Survey NLDI hydrography.
Kinzua Dam and the Allegheny River in Warren County, Pennsylvania.
THE ALLEGHENY STORY
From wild upper river to Pittsburgh's Point
The Allegheny begins in northern Pennsylvania, crosses briefly into New York and returns south through western Pennsylvania before meeting the Monongahela to form the Ohio River.
For centuries
Native river homelands
The fertile Allegheny valley supported Indigenous communities and travel long before European settlement.
1800s–1900s
Industry and navigation
River towns, oil development, locks and dams tied the Allegheny closely to western Pennsylvania commerce.
Modern recreation era
Wild and Scenic protection
Eighty-seven miles of the upper Allegheny are federally designated Wild and Scenic, preserving a long recreation corridor.
Photo: Margaret Luzier, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domain · River history and recreation context: Pennsylvania DCNR and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
FISHING
Fishing the river
The Allegheny offers unusually diverse fishing, with trout below Kinzua Dam and strong smallmouth, walleye and muskellunge fisheries farther downstream.
Fish you may encounter
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Smallmouth Bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Where the river changes
FISHING AREA
Below Kinzua Dam ↗Cold regulated water supports trophy trout opportunities below the dam.
FISHING AREA
Wild and Scenic Allegheny ↗Free-flowing upper-river habitat supports smallmouth bass, walleye and muskellunge alongside scenic paddling.
FISHING AREA
Pittsburgh reach ↗The lower Allegheny becomes a navigable urban river with year-round fishing and boating opportunities.
Before you fish
- Regulations vary between special-regulation trout water and warmwater reaches.
- Check current Pennsylvania and New York regulations before fishing.
BOATING & PADDLING
On the water
The Allegheny ranges from gentle wild-and-scenic paddling to lock-and-dam navigation near Pittsburgh.
Allegheny Wild and Scenic River Water Trail ↗
A long upper-river corridor with reliable flow below Kinzua Dam and mostly approachable paddling.
Kayaking Canoeing Fishing
Three Rivers Water Trail ↗
Urban water trail access connects the lower Allegheny with the Monongahela and Ohio in Pittsburgh.
Kayaking Powerboating Fishing
Know before you go
- Check Kinzua releases and river conditions before launching the upper river.
- Lower-river paddlers should understand lock operations and commercial navigation.
- Use marked public access points along the Three Rivers Water Trail.
PARKS & ACCESS
Places to reach the river
Kinzua Dam area ↗
Gateway to the regulated upper river and Wild and Scenic water trail.
Three Rivers Water Trail landings ↗
Red-paddle-marked landings provide multiple public access points on the lower Allegheny.
Allegheny National Forest ↗
Public lands surrounding long sections of the upper Allegheny River corridor.
Point State Park ↗
Pittsburgh park at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.