Oregon · Rome, OR

Owyhee River float season

Gauge 13181000 on the Rome to Birch Creek. A remote spring-season pilgrimage through rhyolite gorges and riverside hot springs that rewards whoever catches the flows in time.

raftkayakcanoe Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Aug–Oct
Owyhee River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 500 2k 4k 6k
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 Owyhee River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Rome gauge, the Owyhee River runs fullest Mar–May 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 April days at this gauge ran above 1,855 CFS; the September median is 117 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 230
February 474
March 1,250
April 1,855
May 1,240
June 471
July 192
August 132
September 117
October 141
November 172
December 195

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1950 — 76 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 46,900 CFS, in March 1993. 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 Owyhee River usually at its fullest?

At the Rome gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 1,855 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Owyhee River?

The July median at this gauge is about 192 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 Owyhee 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 77 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 13181000 (OWYHEE RIVER NR ROME OR), chosen because it best represents the Rome to Birch Creek. Daily records here reach back to 1950.

Data: USGS gauge 13181000, approved daily records 1950–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.