STATION.--01573000 SWATARA CREEK AT HARPER TAVERN, PA
LOCATION.--Lat 40`24'09", long 76`34'39", Lebanon County, Hydrologic Unit 02050305, on left bank 100 ft downstream from bridge on State Highway 934 at Harper Tavern, 6.0 mi northwest of Annville, and 8.5 mi downstream from Little Swatara Creek.
DRAINAGE AREA.--337 square miles.
PERIOD OF RECORD.--January 1919 to current year. Prior to October 1927, published as "at Harpers".
GAGE.--Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 356.03 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NGS benchmark). Prior to July 16, 1931, non-recording gage at same site and datum. Prior to September 24, 2024, datum of gage was reported as 356.68 ft above National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929. Satellite 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 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Geological Survey.
REMARKS.--The Pennsylvania American Water Company diverts water upstream from station for the municipal supply of city of Lebanon.
GAGE HEIGHTS OF IMPORTANCE.-
Supplied by USGS: Data transmitter operational limit - 24.3 ft;
Supplied by NWS: Action stage-7 ft; Flood stage-9 ft, several driveways and other minor roadways are affected; water begins to enter basements; Moderate flood stage-12 ft, a number of secondary roads are closed resulting in some evacuations; few homes are flooded; Major flood stage-15 ft, a number of homes along the creek are affected; some evacuations are necessary.