New York · Phoenicia, NY
Esopus Creek float season
Gauge 01362500 on the Phoenicia — Shandaken portal releases down to Boiceville. The Catskills' original tubing scene, where portal releases keep Phoenicia's rental fleets bobbing through mountain riffles all summer long.
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 Esopus Creek. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Phoenicia gauge, the Esopus Creek 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 1,065 CFS; the September median is 290 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 600 | |
| February | 543 | |
| March | 833 | |
| April | 1,065 | |
| May | 725 | |
| June | 475 | |
| July | 397 | |
| August | 333 | |
| September | 290 | |
| October | 317 | |
| November | 545 | |
| December | 694 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1932 — 94 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 29,000 CFS, in August 2011. 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 York float rivers
-
Black River
Watertown gorge — Route 3 corridor rafting runs
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Delaware River
Upper Delaware Scenic river from Callicoon toward Narrowsburg
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Hudson River
Hudson Gorge — Indian River put-in through the gorge to North River
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Sacandaga River
Stewarts Bridge Dam tailrace to the Hudson confluence at Lake Luzerne
Fullest: Dec–Feb
Common questions
When is the Esopus Creek usually at its fullest?
At the Phoenicia gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 1,065 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Esopus Creek?
The July median at this gauge is about 397 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 Esopus 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 94 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 01362500 (ESOPUS CREEK AT COLDBROOK NY), chosen because it best represents the Phoenicia — Shandaken portal releases down to Boiceville. Daily records here reach back to 1932.
Data: USGS gauge 01362500, approved daily records 1932–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.