Texas · New Braunfels, TX
Comal River float season
Gauge 08169000 on the Prince Solms Park through the Tube Chute to the Guadalupe confluence. A short spring-fed ribbon through downtown New Braunfels where 72-degree water and the famous Tube Chute make it the state's most beloved urban float.
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 Comal River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the New Braunfels gauge, the Comal River runs fullest Jan–Mar 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 January days at this gauge ran above 312 CFS; the August median is 268 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 312 | |
| February | 312 | |
| March | 308 | |
| April | 312 | |
| May | 308 | |
| June | 300 | |
| July | 286 | |
| August | 268 | |
| September | 275 | |
| October | 286 | |
| November | 295 | |
| December | 308 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1933 — 93 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 22,000 CFS, in October 1999. 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 Texas float rivers
-
Blanco River
Wimberley through the cypress-lined bends toward Five Mile Dam near Kyle
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Brazos River
Below Morris Sheppard Dam at Possum Kingdom down to the Highway 180 bridge
Fullest: Jun–Aug
-
Colorado River
El Camino Real paddling trail from Bastrop toward Smithville
Fullest: May–Jul
-
Frio River
Garner State Park through the Concan crossings
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Guadalupe River
Canyon Dam tailrace from Sattler through the Horseshoe Loop toward New Braunfels
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
Guadalupe River
Upper Guadalupe from Guadalupe River State Park through Spring Branch, above Canyon Lake
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Comal River usually at its fullest?
At the New Braunfels gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in January (about 312 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 Comal River?
The July median at this gauge is about 286 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 Comal 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 93 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 08169000 (Comal Rv at New Braunfels, TX), chosen because it best represents the Prince Solms Park through the Tube Chute to the Guadalupe confluence. Daily records here reach back to 1933.
Data: USGS gauge 08169000, approved daily records 1933–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.