Brandywine Creek at Wilmington
River flow & level · USGS gauge 01481500 · Delaware · drains 314 sq mi
Latest reading Oct 26, 12:30 PM · streamflow
The Brandywine Creek at Wilmington is running 231 cfs, 105% of the median flow for October 26 (219 cfs, 53 years). Gage height is 18.65 ft, 5.9 ft below flood stage (24.5 ft). Flow is about the same as 24 hours ago.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (22.0 ft) is 3.4 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (24.5 ft) is 5.9 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (26.0 ft) is 7.4 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (27.0 ft) is 8.4 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
Brandywine Creek at Wilmington fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 12:50 PM ETWater 50°F, flow 105% of normal, flow steady, light WNW wind — good fall fishing day (7/10), best window 7:30 AM–8:30 AM (moonset near sunrise).
- Water temp50°Fmeasured Oct 26, 12:30 PM · this gauge
- Air temphigh 69°F / low 50°FSunny
- WindLight WNW4–6 mph 6 AM–6 PM, gusts to 12
- Flow105% of normalFlow steady (+0% in 24 h)
Official Delaware fishing info: Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife — Fishing info
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
7/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:24 AM · Sunset 6:07 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon underfoot12:08 PM–2:08 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset7:30 AM–8:30 AMSunrise
- Moonrise5:37 PM–6:37 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 7/10Good | Major 12:08 PM–2:08 PM Minor 7:30 AM–8:30 AM · 5:37 PM–6:37 PM Light wind 4–6 mph |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 5/10Fair | Major 12:37 AM–2:37 AM · 1:06 PM–3:06 PM Minor 8:48 AM–9:48 AM · 6:19 PM–7:19 PM Light wind 4–6 mph |
| WedOct 28 | 2/10Poor | Major 1:37 AM–3:37 AM · 2:09 PM–4:09 PM Minor 10:05 AM–11:05 AM · 7:10 PM–8:10 PM Calm wind 2–4 mph |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 2:41 AM–4:41 AM · 3:14 PM–5:14 PM Minor 11:15 AM–12:15 PM · 8:12 PM–9:12 PM Calm wind 1–6 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 4/10Fair | Major 3:46 AM–5:46 AM · 4:17 PM–6:17 PM Minor 12:15 PM–1:15 PM · 9:24 PM–10:24 PM Light wind 4–6 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 4/10Fair | Major 4:48 AM–6:48 AM · 5:17 PM–7:17 PM Minor 1:03 PM–2:03 PM · 10:38 PM–11:38 PM Calm wind 2–5 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 4/10Fair | Major 4:46 AM–6:46 AM · 5:13 PM–7:13 PM Minor 12:41 PM–1:41 PM · 10:53 PM–11:53 PM Calm wind 2–5 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 2 |
| Today | 7, rounded | 7/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 39.77, -75.58 (moon times from astronomical equations, Brandywine Creek at Wilmington local time).
Weather & wind at Brandywine Creek at Wilmington
air temperature, not water3-day forecast
- Today69° / 50°SunnyWind W 5 mphRain 1%
- Tuesday67° / 44°SunnyWind NE 5 mphRain 1%
- Wednesday66° / 47°Mostly SunnyWind E 0 to 5 mphRain 0%
NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 39.770, -75.577 (grid PHI), issued Oct 26, 8:40 AM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge WMND1- Action stage22 ft+3.4 ft from now
- Minor stage24.5 ft+5.9 ft from now
- Moderate stage26 ft+7.4 ft from now
- Major stage27 ft+8.4 ft from now
October 26 in history
53 years of flow records- Today231 cfs
- Same date last year127 cfs2025
- Median219 cfs
- Normal range169 cfs – 434 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19741,260 cfs2022
- Lowest since 1974107 cfs2002
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 227 | -0% |
| Sun Oct 25 | 227 | +0% |
| Sat Oct 24 | 226 | -4% |
| Fri Oct 23 | 235 | -4% |
| Thu Oct 22 | 244 | -2% |
| Wed Oct 21 | 249 | -5% |
| Tue Oct 20 | 263 | -1% |
| Mon Oct 19 | 266 | -8% |
| Sun Oct 18 | 290 | -18% |
| Sat Oct 17 | 353 | +5% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Chambers Lake23 mi · Lake · Wagontown579.76 ft+0.01 ft vs normal
- Schuylkill River near 30th St. at Philadelphia25 mi · River3.22 ftstage 3.22 ft
- Schuylkill River at Philadelphia25 mi · River975 cfs89% of normal
- Schuylkill River at Manayunk, Philadelphia26 mi · River10.99 ftstage 10.99 ft
- Schuylkill River at Norristown27 mi · River1,180 cfs85% of normal
- Struble Lake28 mi · Lake · Honey Brook616.89 ft24h −0.01 ft
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 01481500 — Brandywine Creek At Wilmington, De
- Location
- 39.7695, -75.5767 · Delaware
- Drainage area
- 314 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1974–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 12:30 PM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 12:50 PM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge WMND1 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.