Connecticut · New Hartford, CT
Farmington River float season
Gauge 01188090 on the Satan's Kingdom — New Hartford through the gorge. The Satan's Kingdom tube run is a Connecticut rite of summer, a quick cold-water shot through a wooded gorge that draws lines at the livery on hot weekends.
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 Farmington River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the New Hartford gauge, the Farmington River runs fullest Mar–May 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 April days at this gauge ran above 951 CFS; the September median is 335 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 568 | |
| February | 550 | |
| March | 784 | |
| April | 951 | |
| May | 564 | |
| June | 459 | |
| July | 357 | |
| August | 373 | |
| September | 335 | |
| October | 348 | |
| November | 497 | |
| December | 576 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1978 — 48 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 15,900 CFS, in April 2007. 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 Connecticut float rivers
Common questions
When is the Farmington River usually at its fullest?
At the New Hartford gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 951 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Farmington River?
The July median at this gauge is about 357 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 Farmington 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 48 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 01188090 (FARMINGTON RIVER AT UNIONVILLE, CT), chosen because it best represents the Satan's Kingdom — New Hartford through the gorge. Daily records here reach back to 1978.
Data: USGS gauge 01188090, approved daily records 1978–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.