Georgia · Helen, GA

Chattahoochee River float season

Gauge 02330450 on the Tube run through downtown Helen. Thousands of tubers a day bob straight through the middle of Georgia's Bavarian-themed mountain town, waving at diners on the riverside biergarten decks.

tubing Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Chattahoochee River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 25 100 200 300
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 Chattahoochee River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Helen gauge, the Chattahoochee 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 170 CFS; the September median is 55 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 143
February 157
March 170
April 164
May 126
June 93
July 72
August 59
September 55
October 64
November 71
December 108

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1981 — 45 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 2,040 CFS, in May 2018. 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 Georgia float rivers

Common questions

When is the Chattahoochee River usually at its fullest?

At the Helen gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 170 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Chattahoochee River?

The July median at this gauge is about 72 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 Chattahoochee 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 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 02330450 (CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AT HELEN, GA), chosen because it best represents the Tube run through downtown Helen. Daily records here reach back to 1981.

Data: USGS gauge 02330450, 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.