California · Red Bluff, CA
Sacramento River float season
Gauge 11377100 on the Red Bluff through the valley oaks toward Woodson Bridge and Chico. The North Valley's big slow conveyor of gravel bars and swimming holes, home to generations of long hot-weather floats toward Chico.
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 Sacramento River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Red Bluff gauge, the Sacramento River runs fullest Jun–Aug and leanest Oct–Dec. 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 July days at this gauge ran above 13,100 CFS; the November median is 6,665 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 8,400 | |
| February | 9,360 | |
| March | 9,250 | |
| April | 8,920 | |
| May | 10,700 | |
| June | 11,750 | |
| July | 13,100 | |
| August | 11,400 | |
| September | 8,285 | |
| October | 7,070 | |
| November | 6,665 | |
| December | 7,680 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1964 — 62 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 127,000 CFS, in January 1970. 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
-
Russian River
Forestville to Guerneville past Johnson's Beach
Fullest: Jan–Mar
Common questions
When is the Sacramento River usually at its fullest?
At the Red Bluff gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jun–Aug, with the single highest monthly median in July (about 13,100 CFS). The leanest months are usually Oct–Dec.
What is a typical summer flow on the Sacramento River?
The July median at this gauge is about 13,100 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 Sacramento 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 62 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 11377100 (SACRAMENTO R AB BEND BRIDGE NR RED BLUFF CA), chosen because it best represents the Red Bluff through the valley oaks toward Woodson Bridge and Chico. Daily records here reach back to 1964.
Data: USGS gauge 11377100, approved daily records 1964–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.