Oregon · Maupin, OR

Deschutes River float season

Gauge 14092500 on the Warm Springs to Sherars Falls through Maupin. The desert-canyon workhorse of Oregon rafting, with splashy wave trains, salmonfly hatches, and a Maupin shuttle-and-burrito economy built entirely around the river.

raftkayakdriftboat Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Jul–Sep
Deschutes River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 500 2k 5k 7.5k
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 Deschutes River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Maupin gauge, the Deschutes River runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Jul–Sep. The swing is small by river standards — flows hold fairly steady through the seasons, which usually points to springs or dam releases doing the work. Half of all past March days at this gauge ran above 5,000 CFS; the August median is 3,810 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 4,690
February 4,880
March 5,000
April 4,945
May 4,280
June 4,070
July 3,860
August 3,810
September 3,880
October 4,010
November 4,435
December 4,600

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1925 — 101 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 17,800 CFS, in February 1996. 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 Oregon float rivers

Common questions

When is the Deschutes River usually at its fullest?

At the Maupin gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 5,000 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep. This river holds unusually steady across the year, so the swing between those extremes is small.

What is a typical summer flow on the Deschutes River?

The July median at this gauge is about 3,860 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 Deschutes 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 101 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 14092500 (DESCHUTES RIVER NEAR MADRAS, OR), chosen because it best represents the Warm Springs to Sherars Falls through Maupin. Daily records here reach back to 1925.

Data: USGS gauge 14092500, approved daily records 1925–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.