Georgia · Roswell, GA
Chattahoochee River float season
Gauge 02335000 on the Buford Dam tailwater through the Shoot the Hooch metro Atlanta reaches. Atlanta's summer ritual is rafting and tubing this chilly dam-fed green corridor past herons and skyline glimpses inside the national recreation area.
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 Chattahoochee River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Roswell gauge, the Chattahoochee River runs fullest Mar–May and leanest Dec–Feb. 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 May days at this gauge ran above 1,880 CFS; the December median is 1,360 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,410 | |
| February | 1,440 | |
| March | 1,740 | |
| April | 1,860 | |
| May | 1,880 | |
| June | 1,665 | |
| July | 1,660 | |
| August | 1,880 | |
| September | 1,660 | |
| October | 1,490 | |
| November | 1,470 | |
| December | 1,360 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1957 — 69 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 11,200 CFS, in April 1964. 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
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Broad River
Broad River water trail near Danielsville to Carlton
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Chattahoochee River
Tube run through downtown Helen
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Etowah River
Etowah River Water Trail floats ending at Canton
Fullest: Feb–Apr
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Flint River
Sprewell Bluff and Yellow Jacket Shoals near Thomaston
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Toccoa River
Toccoa River Canoe Trail from Deep Hole to Sandy Bottoms near Dial
Fullest: Feb–Apr
Common questions
When is the Chattahoochee River usually at its fullest?
At the Roswell gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 1,880 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.
What is a typical summer flow on the Chattahoochee River?
The July median at this gauge is about 1,660 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 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 70 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 02335000 (CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER NEAR NORCROSS, GA), chosen because it best represents the Buford Dam tailwater through the Shoot the Hooch metro Atlanta reaches. Daily records here reach back to 1957.
Data: USGS gauge 02335000, approved daily records 1957–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.