Florida · Nobleton, FL

Withlacoochee River (South) float season

Gauge 02312500 on the Silver Lake through Withlacoochee State Forest to Nobleton. A slow cypress-lined wander through one of Florida's biggest state forests where paddlers trade spring crowds for herons, gators, and quiet oxbows.

canoekayak Fullest: Aug–Oct Leanest: May–Jul
Withlacoochee River (South) — 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 Withlacoochee River (South). Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Nobleton gauge, the Withlacoochee River (South) runs fullest Aug–Oct and leanest May–Jul. 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 September days at this gauge ran above 600 CFS; the June median is 89 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 162
February 204
March 193
April 163
May 90
June 89
July 146
August 467
September 600
October 368
November 211
December 160

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1940 — 86 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 8,630 CFS, in March 1960. 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 Florida float rivers

Common questions

When is the Withlacoochee River (South) usually at its fullest?

At the Nobleton gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Aug–Oct, with the single highest monthly median in September (about 600 CFS). The leanest months are usually May–Jul.

What is a typical summer flow on the Withlacoochee River (South)?

The July median at this gauge is about 146 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 Withlacoochee River (South) 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 86 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 02312500 (WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER AT CROOM, FL), chosen because it best represents the Silver Lake through Withlacoochee State Forest to Nobleton. Daily records here reach back to 1940.

Data: USGS gauge 02312500, 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.