Maryland · Friendsville, MD

Youghiogheny River (Upper) float season

Gauge 03076500 on the Upper Yough, Sang Run to Friendsville. Scheduled summer dam releases make the Upper Yough a pilgrimage for Mid-Atlantic boaters chasing its relentless boulder gardens.

kayakraft Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Youghiogheny River (Upper) — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 1.5k 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 Youghiogheny River (Upper). Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Friendsville gauge, the Youghiogheny River (Upper) runs fullest Feb–Apr 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 March days at this gauge ran above 881 CFS; the September median is 157 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 639
February 661
March 881
April 703
May 545
June 307
July 219
August 185
September 157
October 173
November 348
December 616

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1898 — 128 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 11,200 CFS, in January 1996. 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 Maryland float rivers

Common questions

When is the Youghiogheny River (Upper) usually at its fullest?

At the Friendsville gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 881 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Youghiogheny River (Upper)?

The July median at this gauge is about 219 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 Youghiogheny River (Upper) 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 92 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 03076500 (YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER AT FRIENDSVILLE, MD), chosen because it best represents the Upper Yough, Sang Run to Friendsville. Daily records here reach back to 1898.

Data: USGS gauge 03076500, approved daily records 1898–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.