Missouri · Steelville, MO
Meramec River float season
Gauge 07013000 on the Bird's Nest and Garrison's accesses near Steelville down to Onondaga Cave. The closest big Ozark float to St. Louis, with cave stops, gravel-bar camps, and raft-loads of weekenders pouring out of Steelville, the self-proclaimed floating capital of Missouri.
Right now at this gauge
loading CFS
Checking the live gauge…
Well above typical for this date
Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Meramec River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Steelville gauge, the Meramec 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 600 CFS; the October median is 172 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 291 | |
| February | 373 | |
| March | 552 | |
| April | 600 | |
| May | 559 | |
| June | 352 | |
| July | 216 | |
| August | 183 | |
| September | 175 | |
| October | 172 | |
| November | 215 | |
| December | 254 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1923 — 103 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 50,100 CFS, in November 2025. 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
-
Current River
Ozark National Scenic Riverways through Van Buren to Big Spring
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Eleven Point River
Greer Spring access to Riverton along the Irish Wilderness
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Huzzah Creek
Lower Huzzah through the Steelville resort valley to the Meramec confluence
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Jacks Fork River
Alley Spring to the Two Rivers confluence at Eminence
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Niangua River
Bennett Spring State Park corridor near Lebanon
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Meramec River usually at its fullest?
At the Steelville gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 600 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Meramec River?
The July median at this gauge is about 216 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 Meramec 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 104 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 07013000 (Meramec River near Steelville, MO), chosen because it best represents the Bird's Nest and Garrison's accesses near Steelville down to Onondaga Cave. Daily records here reach back to 1923.
Data: USGS gauge 07013000, approved daily records 1923–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.