The short answer
Choose the Susquehanna station for the reach you need: Harrisburg and Marietta are separate monitoring locations. Keep station identity, measurement and observation time with every comparison.
There is no single river-wide reading
The Susquehanna covers many reaches. A reading at Harrisburg describes the USGS station at Harrisburg, not every upstream tributary or downstream location. A search result for the river name should still resolve to a specific station.
Our current coverage
Compare two named Susquehanna stations: USGS 01570500 at Harrisburg and USGS 01576000 at Marietta. Each page retains the observed time, feet of local gauge height and source link. Choose the reach relevant to your question; a larger stage value does not mean that reach is deeper or more dangerous.
A selection worksheet
Write down the location where you need information. Open the USGS station map, locate the site and verify the river reach. Check the observed variable, units and time. Only then use the reading in your notes or compare later observations.
If Harrisburg is the wrong reach
Use Marietta for the Marietta reach, or search USGS for a different location. USGS notes that upstream York Haven power-plant operations can produce hourly fluctuations at Marietta during lower flows. Do not transfer a Harrisburg threshold or datum to Marietta. The table here compares station identity and context, not flood risk.
Your next steps
- Place of interest: exact reach or town.
- Station: name and numeric identifier.
- Variable: stage versus discharge.
- Time: observation timestamp and time zone.
Common questions
Can I compare Harrisburg and Marietta gauge heights directly?
Their local references differ. Compare each station with its own history rather than ranking the reaches by stage alone.
Why might a river reading change after publication?
USGS provisional readings can be revised after checks or field measurements. Preserve the source version and observation time.
Sources and editorial record
- USGS: How streamflow is measured
- USGS 01576000 — Susquehanna River at Marietta
- USGS 01570500 — Susquehanna River at Harrisburg
Prepared with AI assistance from the linked sources. Independent human review pending. “Public Atlas Editorial” is a publication label. First edition: 2026-09-28. Scheduled source review: 2026-10-28. Data examples update with their source snapshots; the guide text is versioned separately.
Changes to this guide
- 2026-09-28 — First AI-assisted edition published with source links and review status disclosed.
- 2026-09-28 — Added Harrisburg–Marietta station comparison with dated USGS readings and distinct-datum caveat.
- 2026-09-29 — Added focused reader questions and concise answers with source links; checked primary-source guidance and retained pending human review.