Louisiana · Robert, LA

Tangipahoa River float season

Gauge 07375500 on the Independence to Robert livery floats. A quick shot from New Orleans and Hammond, the sandy-banked Tangipahoa keeps canoe and tube liveries busy every warm weekend.

tubingcanoekayak Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Sep–Nov
Tangipahoa River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 300 1k 3k 4k
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 Tangipahoa River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Robert gauge, the Tangipahoa 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 1,100 CFS; the October median is 450 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 956
February 1,100
March 965
April 808
May 663
June 560
July 560
August 545
September 493
October 450
November 480
December 709

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1939 — 87 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 99,100 CFS, in August 2016. 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 Tangipahoa River usually at its fullest?

At the Robert gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 1,100 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.

What is a typical summer flow on the Tangipahoa River?

The July median at this gauge is about 560 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 Tangipahoa 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 87 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 07375500 (Tangipahoa River at Robert, LA), chosen because it best represents the Independence to Robert livery floats. Daily records here reach back to 1939.

Data: USGS gauge 07375500, approved daily records 1939–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.