Alabama · Cleveland, AL

Locust Fork float season

Gauge 02455000 on the Blount County covered-bridge country near Cleveland. Birmingham boaters watch this gauge religiously because when winter rain brings the Locust Fork up, its sandstone ledges become Alabama's favorite playground.

kayakcanoe Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Aug–Oct
Locust Fork — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 1.5k 2.5k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Locust Fork. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Cleveland gauge, the Locust Fork runs fullest Jan–Mar and leanest Aug–Oct. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past March days at this gauge ran above 711 CFS; the September median is 26 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 587
February 708
March 711
April 461
May 191
June 92
July 53
August 40
September 26
October 26
November 59
December 309

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1937 — 89 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 33,900 CFS, in December 1943. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More Alabama float rivers

Common questions

When is the Locust Fork usually at its fullest?

At the Cleveland gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 711 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Locust Fork?

The July median at this gauge is about 53 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.

Is the Locust Fork safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 83 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 02455000 (LOCUST FORK NEAR CLEVELAND, AL.), chosen because it best represents the Blount County covered-bridge country near Cleveland. Daily records here reach back to 1937.

Data: USGS gauge 02455000, approved daily records 1937–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.