Georgia · Ball Ground, GA
Etowah River float season
Gauge 02392000 on the Etowah River Water Trail floats ending at Canton. A mellow foothills water trail past bald eagles, fish weirs, and the occasional gold-rush relic within an easy drive of north metro Atlanta.
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 Etowah River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Ball Ground gauge, the Etowah River runs fullest Feb–Apr 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 March days at this gauge ran above 1,520 CFS; the October median is 490 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,120 | |
| February | 1,380 | |
| March | 1,520 | |
| April | 1,515 | |
| May | 1,160 | |
| June | 920 | |
| July | 744 | |
| August | 602 | |
| September | 498 | |
| October | 490 | |
| November | 575 | |
| December | 804 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1897 — 129 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 22,700 CFS, in January 1946. 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 Georgia float rivers
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Broad River
Broad River water trail near Danielsville to Carlton
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Chattahoochee River
Tube run through downtown Helen
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Chattahoochee River
Buford Dam tailwater through the Shoot the Hooch metro Atlanta reaches
Fullest: Mar–May
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Flint River
Sprewell Bluff and Yellow Jacket Shoals near Thomaston
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Toccoa River
Toccoa River Canoe Trail from Deep Hole to Sandy Bottoms near Dial
Fullest: Feb–Apr
Common questions
When is the Etowah River usually at its fullest?
At the Ball Ground gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 1,520 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.
What is a typical summer flow on the Etowah River?
The July median at this gauge is about 744 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 Etowah 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 98 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 02392000 (ETOWAH RIVER AT CANTON, GA), chosen because it best represents the Etowah River Water Trail floats ending at Canton. Daily records here reach back to 1897.
Data: USGS gauge 02392000, approved daily records 1897–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.