Nevada · Carson City, NV

Carson River float season

Gauge 10311000 on the Carson River Aquatic Trail from Morgan Mill Road east of Carson City. Nevada's capital keeps a cottonwood-lined tubing and paddle run minutes from downtown, best when the spring pulse comes off the Sierra.

tubingkayakcanoe Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Jul–Sep
Carson River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 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 Carson River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Carson City gauge, the Carson River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Jul–Sep. 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 May days at this gauge ran above 972 CFS; the August median is 20 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 194
February 272
March 324
April 493
May 972
June 603
July 48
August 20
September 21
October 68
November 138
December 156

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1940 — 86 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 26,100 CFS, in January 1997. 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 Nevada float rivers

Common questions

When is the Carson River usually at its fullest?

At the Carson City gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 972 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.

What is a typical summer flow on the Carson River?

The July median at this gauge is about 48 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 Carson 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 87 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 10311000 (CARSON RV NR CARSON CITY, NV), chosen because it best represents the Carson River Aquatic Trail from Morgan Mill Road east of Carson City. Daily records here reach back to 1940.

Data: USGS gauge 10311000, approved daily records 1940–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.