Virginia · Bentonville, VA
Shenandoah River (South Fork) float season
Gauge 01631000 on the Bentonville to Front Royal through Shenandoah River State Park. Outfitter canoes and tubes drift beneath Massanutten's ridgeline on the Valley's classic smallmouth float into Front Royal.
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 Shenandoah River (South Fork). Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Bentonville gauge, the Shenandoah River (South Fork) 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 1,900 CFS; the September median is 497 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,240 | |
| February | 1,520 | |
| March | 1,900 | |
| April | 1,675 | |
| May | 1,480 | |
| June | 885 | |
| July | 643 | |
| August | 544 | |
| September | 497 | |
| October | 514 | |
| November | 629 | |
| December | 1,060 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1930 — 96 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 114,000 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
-
James River (Richmond)
Fall line through downtown Richmond, Pony Pasture to Manchester
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
James River (Upper)
Upper James River Water Trail around Buchanan
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Maury River
Goshen Pass down toward Lexington and Buena Vista
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Rappahannock River
Fall-line rapids into downtown Fredericksburg
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Shenandoah River (North Fork)
Seven Bends, Woodstock to Strasburg
Fullest: Feb–Apr
Common questions
When is the Shenandoah River (South Fork) usually at its fullest?
At the Bentonville gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 1,900 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Shenandoah River (South Fork)?
The July median at this gauge is about 643 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 Shenandoah River (South Fork) 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 95 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 01631000 (S F SHENANDOAH RIVER AT FRONT ROYAL, VA), chosen because it best represents the Bentonville to Front Royal through Shenandoah River State Park. Daily records here reach back to 1930.
Data: USGS gauge 01631000, approved daily records 1930–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.