Alabama · West Blocton, AL

Cahaba River float season

Gauge 02424000 on the West Blocton lily shoals down to Centreville. Every May paddlers time this biodiverse free-flowing river for the Hargrove Shoals bloom, when thousands of Cahaba lilies turn the riffles white.

canoekayak Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Sep–Nov
Cahaba River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 600 2.5k 5k 7.5k
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 Cahaba River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the West Blocton gauge, the Cahaba River runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Sep–Nov. 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 2,010 CFS; the October median is 280 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 1,460
February 1,880
March 2,010
April 1,490
May 752
June 539
July 473
August 402
September 312
October 280
November 340
December 818

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1901 — 125 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 71,700 CFS, in February 1961. 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 Alabama float rivers

Common questions

When is the Cahaba River usually at its fullest?

At the West Blocton gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 2,010 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.

What is a typical summer flow on the Cahaba River?

The July median at this gauge is about 473 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.

Is the Cahaba 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 101 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 02424000 (CAHABA RIVER AT CENTREVILLE AL), chosen because it best represents the West Blocton lily shoals down to Centreville. Daily records here reach back to 1901.

Data: USGS gauge 02424000, approved daily records 1901–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.