North Carolina · Marion, NC

Catawba River float season

Gauge 02137727 on the Upper Catawba blueway, Old Fort to the Lake James backwaters. The upper Catawba's blueway winds out of the Old Fort foothills through Marion farm country before the river slows into Lake James.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Catawba River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 50 200 400 750
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 Catawba River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Marion gauge, the Catawba River runs fullest Feb–Apr 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 March days at this gauge ran above 247 CFS; the October median is 120 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 209
February 230
March 247
April 237
May 190
June 161
July 136
August 124
September 134
October 120
November 149
December 187

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1981 — 45 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 19,600 CFS, in September 2024. 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 North Carolina float rivers

Common questions

When is the Catawba River usually at its fullest?

At the Marion gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 247 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Catawba River?

The July median at this gauge is about 136 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 Catawba 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 46 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 02137727 (CATAWBA R NR PLEASANT GARDENS, NC), chosen because it best represents the Upper Catawba blueway, Old Fort to the Lake James backwaters. Daily records here reach back to 1981.

Data: USGS gauge 02137727, approved daily records 1981–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.