Arkansas · Calico Rock, AR
White River float season
Gauge 07060500 on the Bull Shoals tailwater trout water down through Calico Rock. Drift boats and kayaks slide through world-famous trout water below Bull Shoals Dam, timing every float to the generation schedule.
Right now at this gauge
loading CFS
Checking the live gauge…
Well above typical for this date
Live reading from the USGS gauge page for White River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Calico Rock gauge, the White River runs fullest Mar–May and leanest Sep–Nov. 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 April days at this gauge ran above 12,350 CFS; the October median is 4,730 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 7,700 | |
| February | 8,550 | |
| March | 11,300 | |
| April | 12,350 | |
| May | 10,800 | |
| June | 9,595 | |
| July | 8,650 | |
| August | 7,080 | |
| September | 4,760 | |
| October | 4,730 | |
| November | 4,985 | |
| December | 6,530 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1943 — 83 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 292,000 CFS, in April 1945. 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 Arkansas float rivers
-
Buffalo National River
Middle river through Tyler Bend and Gilbert
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Buffalo National River
Upper river, Ponca to Kyles Landing
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Caddo River
Caddo Gap through Glenwood to Amity
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Kings River
Trigger Gap toward the Highway 62 bridge near Berryville
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Mulberry River
Turner Bend to Mill Creek along the Pig Trail
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Spring River
Dam 3 at Mammoth Spring down to Hardy
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the White River usually at its fullest?
At the Calico Rock gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 12,350 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.
What is a typical summer flow on the White River?
The July median at this gauge is about 8,650 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.
Is the White River 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 84 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 07060500 (White River at Calico Rock, AR), chosen because it best represents the Bull Shoals tailwater trout water down through Calico Rock. Daily records here reach back to 1943.
Data: USGS gauge 07060500, approved daily records 1943–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.