New York · Lake Luzerne, NY
Sacandaga River float season
Gauge 01325000 on the Stewarts Bridge Dam tailrace to the Hudson confluence at Lake Luzerne. Daily summer releases from Stewarts Bridge Dam make this short Adirondack run a metronome of afternoon raft and tube trips ending where the Sacandaga meets the Hudson.
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 Sacandaga River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Lake Luzerne gauge, the Sacandaga River runs fullest Dec–Feb and leanest Apr–Jun. 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 January days at this gauge ran above 3,010 CFS; the April median is 65 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3,010 | |
| February | 2,980 | |
| March | 2,020 | |
| April | 65 | |
| May | 1,880 | |
| June | 1,865 | |
| July | 1,990 | |
| August | 2,020 | |
| September | 1,965 | |
| October | 2,020 | |
| November | 2,095 | |
| December | 2,580 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1931 — 95 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 13,800 CFS, in April 2008. 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 New York float rivers
-
Black River
Watertown gorge — Route 3 corridor rafting runs
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Delaware River
Upper Delaware Scenic river from Callicoon toward Narrowsburg
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Esopus Creek
Phoenicia — Shandaken portal releases down to Boiceville
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Hudson River
Hudson Gorge — Indian River put-in through the gorge to North River
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Sacandaga River usually at its fullest?
At the Lake Luzerne gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Dec–Feb, with the single highest monthly median in January (about 3,010 CFS). The leanest months are usually Apr–Jun.
What is a typical summer flow on the Sacandaga River?
The July median at this gauge is about 1,990 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 Sacandaga 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 96 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 01325000 (SACANDAGA RIVER AT STEWARTS BRIDGE NR HADLEY NY), chosen because it best represents the Stewarts Bridge Dam tailrace to the Hudson confluence at Lake Luzerne. Daily records here reach back to 1931.
Data: USGS gauge 01325000, approved daily records 1931–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.