Virginia · Fredericksburg, VA

Rappahannock River float season

Gauge 01668000 on the Fall-line rapids into downtown Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg locals tube and kayak the fall-line ledges right into town on one of the East's longest free-flowing rivers.

tubingkayakcanoesup Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Rappahannock River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 400 1.5k 3k 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 Rappahannock River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Fredericksburg gauge, the Rappahannock River runs fullest Feb–Apr 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 1,790 CFS; the September median is 339 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 1,420
February 1,700
March 1,790
April 1,565
May 1,270
June 853
July 522
August 428
September 339
October 424
November 684
December 1,060

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1907 — 119 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 127,000 CFS, in October 1943. 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 Virginia float rivers

Common questions

When is the Rappahannock River usually at its fullest?

At the Fredericksburg gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 1,790 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Rappahannock River?

The July median at this gauge is about 522 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 Rappahannock 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 119 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 01668000 (RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER NEAR FREDERICKSBURG, VA), chosen because it best represents the Fall-line rapids into downtown Fredericksburg. Daily records here reach back to 1907.

Data: USGS gauge 01668000, approved daily records 1907–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.