New Jersey · Milford, PA
Delaware River float season
Gauge 01438500 on the Middle Delaware through the Delaware Water Gap. The Water Gap's ridge-framed pools make this the mid-Atlantic's classic big-water canoe camp.
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 Delaware River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Milford gauge, the Delaware River runs fullest Mar–May 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 April days at this gauge ran above 9,020 CFS; the September median is 1,980 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 4,420 | |
| February | 4,300 | |
| March | 7,760 | |
| April | 9,020 | |
| May | 5,880 | |
| June | 3,265 | |
| July | 2,390 | |
| August | 2,100 | |
| September | 1,980 | |
| October | 2,120 | |
| November | 3,450 | |
| December | 4,710 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1940 — 86 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 187,000 CFS, in August 1955. 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 New Jersey float rivers
Common questions
When is the Delaware River usually at its fullest?
At the Milford gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 9,020 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Delaware River?
The July median at this gauge is about 2,390 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 Delaware 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 01438500 (Delaware River at Montague NJ), chosen because it best represents the Middle Delaware through the Delaware Water Gap. Daily records here reach back to 1940.
Data: USGS gauge 01438500, approved daily records 1940–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.