SUSQUEHANNA RIVER GUIDE

Susquehanna River Guide

History, public access, fish and paddling resources, and live water data along the Susquehanna River.

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 SUSQUEHANNA RIVER DATA

Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna River

Trace the reviewed Susquehanna River mainstem geometry and use linked agency resources to plan for a specific reach.

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River path derived from U.S. Geological Survey NLDI hydrography.
Susquehanna River near Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Photo: JohnDziak.
THE SUSQUEHANNA STORY

Branches, river towns and a Chesapeake migration corridor

The North and West branches gather water from New York and Pennsylvania before meeting at Sunbury. From there the Susquehanna passes Appalachian ridges, historic river towns and a sequence of lower-river dams on its way to Chesapeake Bay. Water trails now reconnect visitors with a corridor long used by Indigenous communities, canals, railroads and migratory fish.

For generations before European settlement
A river of Indigenous towns and travel
Susquehannock and other Indigenous communities lived along the river, using its branches and valleys for settlement, trade and travel.
Early to mid-1800s
Canals follow the river
Pennsylvania canal divisions paralleled the Susquehanna, linking interior farms and towns with markets before railroads displaced much canal traffic.
Late 1920s
Conowingo Dam changes the lower river
Construction of Conowingo Dam created a major hydroelectric barrier near the head of Chesapeake Bay and altered migratory-fish passage.
Modern fish-passage era
Shad restoration confronts four lower-river dams
Federal, state and utility partners use fish lifts, passage facilities and monitoring in an effort to reconnect American shad and other migratory fish with upstream habitat.
Today
Three recognized water-trail corridors
Official North Branch, West Branch and Lower Susquehanna water trails provide reach-specific maps and public-access planning.
Research context: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
FISHING

Fishing the river

Smallmouth bass are a prominent warmwater fishery through many rocky mainstem reaches; walleye, catfish and other species vary by section. American shad restoration on the lower river is tied to fish passage at hydroelectric dams. Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland publish separate seasons, limits and advisories.

Fish you may encounter

Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Channel catfish
American shad

Where the river changes

FISHING AREA
Susquehanna fish passage ↗
Federal restoration and migratory-fish information.
Before you fish
  • Rules, seasons, closures and consumption advice vary by jurisdiction and can change; consult the linked fish and wildlife agency before a trip.
  • A gauge reading describes conditions at that monitoring location; it does not establish fishing quality or safety elsewhere on the river.
BOATING & PADDLING

On the water

The North Branch, West Branch and Lower Susquehanna each have documented water-trail resources. Islands, ledges, dams and rapidly changing releases make those reach-specific maps and hazard notices essential; a water-trail designation does not make every mainstem segment continuously passable.

Lower Susquehanna River Water Trail ↗
NPS overview for the designated lower water trail.
Paddling Water trail
Know before you go
  • Use the linked managing-agency information for current access, permits, closures and river conditions.
  • Do not treat station data as a substitute for local hazard information, weather forecasts or on-water judgment.
PARKS & ACCESS

Places to reach the river

North Branch Susquehanna Water Trail ↗
State access and trip-planning information.
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail ↗
Official trail and river-corridor visitor information.
Susquehanna River Guide | Levels, Fishing, Boating & Access