West Virginia · Alderson, WV

Greenbrier River float season

Gauge 03183500 on the Greenbrier River Trail country around Alderson. One of the longest undammed rivers in the East serves up gravel-bar floats and smallmouth water alongside its beloved rail-trail.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Greenbrier River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 600 2.5k 6k 10k
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 Greenbrier River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Alderson gauge, the Greenbrier 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 2,920 CFS; the September median is 189 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 1,720
February 2,070
March 2,920
April 2,280
May 1,550
June 681
July 388
August 280
September 189
October 215
November 511
December 1,330

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1895 — 131 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 63,100 CFS, in January 1996. 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 West Virginia float rivers

Common questions

When is the Greenbrier River usually at its fullest?

At the Alderson gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 2,920 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Greenbrier River?

The July median at this gauge is about 388 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 Greenbrier 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 131 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 03183500 (GREENBRIER RIVER AT ALDERSON, WV), chosen because it best represents the Greenbrier River Trail country around Alderson. Daily records here reach back to 1895.

Data: USGS gauge 03183500, approved daily records 1895–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.