Tennessee · Silver Point, TN
Caney Fork River float season
Gauge 03424860 on the Center Hill Dam tailwater through Happy Hollow and Betty's Island. When the Center Hill generators kick on, this fog-topped tailwater becomes middle Tennessee's classic trout drift beneath towering bluffs.
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 Caney Fork River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Silver Point gauge, the Caney Fork River runs fullest Jan–Mar 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 March days at this gauge ran above 8,020 CFS; the October median is 1,690 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 7,050 | |
| February | 7,010 | |
| March | 8,020 | |
| April | 5,895 | |
| May | 2,410 | |
| June | 1,930 | |
| July | 2,050 | |
| August | 1,750 | |
| September | 1,790 | |
| October | 1,690 | |
| November | 1,815 | |
| December | 6,020 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 2011 — 15 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 30,500 CFS, in February 2020. 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 Tennessee float rivers
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Buffalo River
Lower river through Flatwoods toward Topsy
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Duck River
Iron Bridge Road to Chickasaw Trace at Columbia
Fullest: Jan–Mar
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Elk River
Tims Ford Dam tailwater through Kelso toward Fayetteville
Fullest: Dec–Feb
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Harpeth River
Narrows of the Harpeth loop at Harpeth River State Park
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Nolichucky River
Nolichucky Gorge, Poplar NC to Erwin TN
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Pigeon River
Walters powerhouse releases through the Hartford rafting stretch
Fullest: Feb–Apr
Common questions
When is the Caney Fork River usually at its fullest?
At the Silver Point gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 8,020 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Caney Fork River?
The July median at this gauge is about 2,050 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 Caney Fork 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 15 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 03424860 (CANEY FORK AT STONEWALL), chosen because it best represents the Center Hill Dam tailwater through Happy Hollow and Betty's Island. Daily records here reach back to 2011.
Data: USGS gauge 03424860, approved daily records 2011–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.