Indiana · Winamac, IN

Tippecanoe River float season

Gauge 03331500 on the Winamac to Ora. Fed by dozens of natural lakes, the clear-flowing Tippy strings together gravel bars and shady bends beloved by lazy-day paddlers.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Aug–Oct
Tippecanoe River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 2k 3k
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 Tippecanoe River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Winamac gauge, the Tippecanoe 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 1,340 CFS; the September median is 273 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 750
February 816
March 1,270
April 1,340
May 970
June 697
July 435
August 314
September 273
October 301
November 464
December 609

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1944 — 82 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 9,410 CFS, in March 2009. 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 Indiana float rivers

Common questions

When is the Tippecanoe River usually at its fullest?

At the Winamac gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 1,340 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Tippecanoe River?

The July median at this gauge is about 435 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 Tippecanoe 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 82 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 03331500 (TIPPECANOE RIVER NEAR ORA, IN), chosen because it best represents the Winamac to Ora. Daily records here reach back to 1944.

Data: USGS gauge 03331500, approved daily records 1944–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.