Mississippi · Seminary, MS

Okatoma Creek float season

Gauge 02472850 on the Seminary to Sanford. Mississippi's liveliest creek float strings together small chutes and swimming holes between Seminary's canoe camps, drawing weekend crowds from Hattiesburg and beyond.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Aug–Oct
Okatoma Creek — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 150 500 1k 2k
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 Okatoma Creek. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Seminary gauge, the Okatoma Creek runs fullest Jan–Mar 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 February days at this gauge ran above 431 CFS; the October median is 123 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 308
February 431
March 397
April 286
May 194
June 168
July 151
August 137
September 127
October 123
November 146
December 265

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1995 — 31 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 11,300 CFS, in March 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 Mississippi float rivers

Common questions

When is the Okatoma Creek usually at its fullest?

At the Seminary gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 431 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Okatoma Creek?

The July median at this gauge is about 151 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 Okatoma Creek 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 32 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 02472850 (OKATOMA CREEK AT SANFORD, MS), chosen because it best represents the Seminary to Sanford. Daily records here reach back to 1995.

Data: USGS gauge 02472850, approved daily records 1995–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.