Louisiana · Franklinton, LA

Bogue Chitto River float season

Gauge 02492000 on the Franklinton through Bogue Chitto State Park to Bush. The lower Bogue Chitto's surprisingly quick current and gravel bars anchor Louisiana's favorite float corridor, with a state park built around the river itself.

tubingcanoekayak Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Sep–Nov
Bogue Chitto River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 600 2k 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 Bogue Chitto River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Franklinton gauge, the Bogue Chitto River runs fullest Jan–Mar 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 February days at this gauge ran above 2,130 CFS; the October median is 759 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 1,690
February 2,130
March 1,960
April 1,605
May 1,200
June 993
July 957
August 891
September 816
October 759
November 822
December 1,270

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1938 — 88 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 126,000 CFS, in April 1983. 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 Louisiana float rivers

Common questions

When is the Bogue Chitto River usually at its fullest?

At the Franklinton gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 2,130 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.

What is a typical summer flow on the Bogue Chitto River?

The July median at this gauge is about 957 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 Bogue Chitto 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 89 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 02492000 (Bogue Chitto River near Bush, LA), chosen because it best represents the Franklinton through Bogue Chitto State Park to Bush. Daily records here reach back to 1938.

Data: USGS gauge 02492000, approved daily records 1938–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.