Oregon · Minam, OR

Grande Ronde River float season

Gauge 13333000 on the Minam to Troy. A pine-and-basalt wilderness conveyor from Minam to Troy that turns a spring weekend into a proper multi-day expedition.

raftcanoekayak Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Aug–Oct
Grande Ronde River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 750 3k 7.5k 10k
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 Grande Ronde River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Minam gauge, the Grande Ronde River runs fullest Apr–Jun 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 May days at this gauge ran above 6,750 CFS; the September median is 687 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) Relative volume
January 1,490
February 2,160
March 3,780
April 5,850
May 6,750
June 5,155
July 1,680
August 708
September 687
October 782
November 971
December 1,180

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1945 — 81 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 42,200 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 Grande Ronde River usually at its fullest?

At the Minam gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 6,750 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Grande Ronde River?

The July median at this gauge is about 1,680 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 Grande Ronde 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 82 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 13333000 (GRANDE RONDE RIVER AT TROY, OR), chosen because it best represents the Minam to Troy. Daily records here reach back to 1945.

Data: USGS gauge 13333000, approved daily records 1945–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.