California · Rumsey, CA
Cache Creek float season
Gauge 11451800 on the Cache Creek canyon from Rumsey through Camp Haswell. The Sacramento area's closest whitewater winds through a Capay canyon patrolled by bald eagles and tule elk.
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 Cache Creek. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Rumsey gauge, the Cache Creek runs fullest May–Jul and leanest Oct–Dec. 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 752 CFS; the October median is 19 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 177 | |
| February | 113 | |
| March | 752 | |
| April | 375 | |
| May | 565 | |
| June | 636 | |
| July | 648 | |
| August | 501 | |
| September | 317 | |
| October | 19 | |
| November | 20 | |
| December | 25 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 2015 — 11 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 13,600 CFS, in February 2019. 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 California float rivers
-
American River
Lower American, Sunrise Avenue to River Bend through Sacramento
Fullest: May–Jul
-
Klamath River
Mid-Klamath canyon around Seiad Valley and Happy Camp
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Merced River
Yosemite Valley bridges and the El Portal canyon below Redbud
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
North Fork American River
Chamberlain Falls canyon above Lake Clementine
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Russian River
Forestville to Guerneville past Johnson's Beach
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Sacramento River
Red Bluff through the valley oaks toward Woodson Bridge and Chico
Fullest: Jun–Aug
Common questions
When is the Cache Creek usually at its fullest?
At the Rumsey gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is May–Jul, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 752 CFS). The leanest months are usually Oct–Dec.
What is a typical summer flow on the Cache Creek?
The July median at this gauge is about 648 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 Cache Creek 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 11 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 11451800 (CACHE C A RUMSEY CA), chosen because it best represents the Cache Creek canyon from Rumsey through Camp Haswell. Daily records here reach back to 2015.
Data: USGS gauge 11451800, approved daily records 2015–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.