Oklahoma · Gore, OK
Lower Illinois River float season
Gauge 07198000 on the Tenkiller Dam tailwater down to the Arkansas River near Gore. Frigid, glassy releases below Tenkiller Dam draw trout anglers and paddlers to Oklahoma's most un-Oklahoma-looking tailwater.
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 Lower Illinois River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Gore gauge, the Lower Illinois River runs fullest Mar–May and leanest Sep–Nov. 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 2,090 CFS; the October median is 292 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,170 | |
| February | 1,210 | |
| March | 1,280 | |
| April | 2,090 | |
| May | 1,790 | |
| June | 1,215 | |
| July | 968 | |
| August | 876 | |
| September | 473 | |
| October | 292 | |
| November | 528 | |
| December | 946 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1954 — 72 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 34,400 CFS, in December 2016. 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 Oklahoma float rivers
-
Baron Fork Creek
Christie and Welling down to the Illinois River confluence near Eldon
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Blue River
Blue River falls country near Tishomingo
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Flint Creek
Flint Creek through Kansas, OK to the Illinois River
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Glover River
Battiest down to the Little River confluence near Glover
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Illinois River
Watts and No Head Hollow down through outfitter row to Tahlequah
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Kiamichi River
Canoe-camping run from the Highway 3 crossings near Rattan down to Antlers
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Lower Illinois River usually at its fullest?
At the Gore gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 2,090 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.
What is a typical summer flow on the Lower Illinois River?
The July median at this gauge is about 968 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 Lower Illinois 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 72 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 07198000 (Illinois River near Gore, OK), chosen because it best represents the Tenkiller Dam tailwater down to the Arkansas River near Gore. Daily records here reach back to 1954.
Data: USGS gauge 07198000, approved daily records 1954–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.