California · Forestville, CA
Russian River float season
Gauge 11467000 on the Forestville to Guerneville past Johnson's Beach. A redwood-shaded canoe tradition running since the 1950s, with beach bars and rope swings around every bend.
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 Russian River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Forestville gauge, the Russian River runs fullest Jan–Mar and leanest Jul–Sep. 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 February days at this gauge ran above 2,700 CFS; the August median is 156 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2,110 | |
| February | 2,700 | |
| March | 2,450 | |
| April | 1,040 | |
| May | 524 | |
| June | 228 | |
| July | 163 | |
| August | 156 | |
| September | 161 | |
| October | 191 | |
| November | 317 | |
| December | 804 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1940 — 86 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 97,700 CFS, in February 1986. 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 California float rivers
-
American River
Lower American, Sunrise Avenue to River Bend through Sacramento
Fullest: May–Jul
-
Cache Creek
Cache Creek canyon from Rumsey through Camp Haswell
Fullest: May–Jul
-
Klamath River
Mid-Klamath canyon around Seiad Valley and Happy Camp
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Merced River
Yosemite Valley bridges and the El Portal canyon below Redbud
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
North Fork American River
Chamberlain Falls canyon above Lake Clementine
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Sacramento River
Red Bluff through the valley oaks toward Woodson Bridge and Chico
Fullest: Jun–Aug
Common questions
When is the Russian River usually at its fullest?
At the Forestville gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 2,700 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.
What is a typical summer flow on the Russian River?
The July median at this gauge is about 163 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 Russian 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 87 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 11467000 (RUSSIAN R A HACIENDA BRIDGE NR GUERNEVILLE CA), chosen because it best represents the Forestville to Guerneville past Johnson's Beach. Daily records here reach back to 1940.
Data: USGS gauge 11467000, approved daily records 1940–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.