Minnesota · Taylors Falls, MN

St. Croix River float season

Gauge 05340500 on the Interstate Park dalles from Taylors Falls downstream. Basalt cliffs pinch the national scenic riverway into the Dalles before it relaxes into sandbar country.

canoekayaksup Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Dec–Feb
St. Croix River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1.5k 6k 15k 25k
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 St. Croix River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Taylors Falls gauge, the St. Croix River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Dec–Feb. 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 8,420 CFS; the February median is 2,090 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 2,140
February 2,090
March 2,660
April 8,420
May 5,940
June 4,150
July 3,280
August 2,360
September 2,615
October 2,910
November 3,245
December 2,410

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1902 — 124 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 59,500 CFS, in April 2001. 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 Minnesota float rivers

Common questions

When is the St. Croix River usually at its fullest?

At the Taylors Falls gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 8,420 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.

What is a typical summer flow on the St. Croix River?

The July median at this gauge is about 3,280 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 St. Croix 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 119 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 05340500 (ST. CROIX RIVER AT ST. CROIX FALLS, WI), chosen because it best represents the Interstate Park dalles from Taylors Falls downstream. Daily records here reach back to 1902.

Data: USGS gauge 05340500, approved daily records 1902–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.