Massachusetts · Charlemont, MA
Deerfield River float season
Gauge 01168500 on the Fife Brook section — Zoar Gap to Charlemont. Near-daily Fife Brook dam releases make the Deerfield New England's most dependable summer river, floating everything from raft trips through Zoar Gap to lazy tube flotillas below.
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 Deerfield River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Charlemont gauge, the Deerfield River runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Jul–Sep. 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 April days at this gauge ran above 1,515 CFS; the July median is 353 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,050 | |
| February | 1,030 | |
| March | 1,150 | |
| April | 1,515 | |
| May | 790 | |
| June | 475 | |
| July | 353 | |
| August | 381 | |
| September | 379 | |
| October | 467 | |
| November | 705 | |
| December | 990 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1913 — 113 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 31,100 CFS, in December 1949. 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 Massachusetts float rivers
Common questions
When is the Deerfield River usually at its fullest?
At the Charlemont gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 1,515 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.
What is a typical summer flow on the Deerfield River?
The July median at this gauge is about 353 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 Deerfield 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 113 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 01168500 (DEERFIELD RIVER AT CHARLEMONT, MA), chosen because it best represents the Fife Brook section — Zoar Gap to Charlemont. Daily records here reach back to 1913.
Data: USGS gauge 01168500, approved daily records 1913–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.