Missouri · Eminence, MO

Jacks Fork River float season

Gauge 07066000 on the Alley Spring to the Two Rivers confluence at Eminence. A narrow, bluff-lined tributary that feels wilder than its big sister, best caught when Alley Spring's turquoise outflow keeps canoes gliding through the canyon-like upper miles.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Aug–Oct
Jacks Fork River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 150 600 1.5k 2k
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 Jacks Fork River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Eminence gauge, the Jacks Fork 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 560 CFS; the October median is 167 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) Relative volume
January 305
February 341
March 518
April 560
May 495
June 310
July 215
August 177
September 169
October 167
November 195
December 248

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1922 — 104 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 42,000 CFS, in April 2017. 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 Missouri float rivers

Common questions

When is the Jacks Fork River usually at its fullest?

At the Eminence gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 560 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Jacks Fork River?

The July median at this gauge is about 215 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 Jacks Fork 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 105 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 07066000 (Jacks Fork at Eminence, MO), chosen because it best represents the Alley Spring to the Two Rivers confluence at Eminence. Daily records here reach back to 1922.

Data: USGS gauge 07066000, approved daily records 1922–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.