Louisiana · Mittie, LA

Whiskey Chitto Creek float season

Gauge 08014500 on the Mittie to Oberlin. Clear water over white sand in the middle of west Louisiana piney woods makes the Ouiska Chitto the state's canoeing darling, with liveries clustered around Mittie.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Aug–Oct
Whiskey Chitto Creek — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 1k 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 Whiskey Chitto Creek. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Mittie gauge, the Whiskey Chitto Creek runs fullest Jan–Mar 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 February days at this gauge ran above 754 CFS; the October median is 191 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 686
February 754
March 627
April 509
May 351
June 294
July 249
August 203
September 207
October 191
November 250
December 561

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1940 — 85 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 108,000 CFS, in May 1953. 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 Louisiana float rivers

Common questions

When is the Whiskey Chitto Creek usually at its fullest?

At the Mittie gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 754 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Whiskey Chitto Creek?

The July median at this gauge is about 249 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 Whiskey Chitto Creek 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 84 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 08014500 (Ouiska Chitto Creek Near Oberlin, LA), chosen because it best represents the Mittie to Oberlin. Daily records here reach back to 1940.

Data: USGS gauge 08014500, approved daily records 1940–2025, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.