West Virginia · Fayetteville, WV
New River (WV) float season
Gauge 03185400 on the Lower New River Gorge, Cunard to Fayette Station. Big-water waves stacked beneath the New River Gorge Bridge make the Lower Gorge the crown jewel of Appalachian commercial rafting.
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 New River (WV). Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Fayetteville gauge, the New River (WV) 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 12,100 CFS; the September median is 2,295 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 7,880 | |
| February | 10,300 | |
| March | 12,100 | |
| April | 10,400 | |
| May | 8,970 | |
| June | 5,140 | |
| July | 3,670 | |
| August | 2,970 | |
| September | 2,295 | |
| October | 2,550 | |
| November | 3,720 | |
| December | 6,310 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1981 — 45 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 92,500 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
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Cheat River
Cheat Canyon, Albright to Jenkinsburg
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Greenbrier River
Greenbrier River Trail country around Alderson
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Shenandoah River (Main Stem)
The Staircase, Bloomery to the Harpers Ferry confluence
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Tygart Valley River
Arden section below Philippi
Fullest: Feb–Apr
Common questions
When is the New River (WV) usually at its fullest?
At the Fayetteville gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 12,100 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the New River (WV)?
The July median at this gauge is about 3,670 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 New River (WV) 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 45 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 03185400 (NEW RIVER AT THURMOND, WV), chosen because it best represents the Lower New River Gorge, Cunard to Fayette Station. Daily records here reach back to 1981.
Data: USGS gauge 03185400, approved daily records 1981–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.