North Carolina · Pisgah Forest, NC

Davidson River float season

Gauge 03441000 on the Pisgah National Forest stretch above Brevard. Pisgah's hemlock-shaded trout stream doubles as Brevard's summer tubing hangout whenever afternoon storms bump the flow.

tubingkayak Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Davidson River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 20 100 200 300
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 Davidson River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Pisgah Forest gauge, the Davidson 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 143 CFS; the October median is 59 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 127
February 136
March 143
April 142
May 115
June 92
July 73
August 69
September 60
October 59
November 77
December 104

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1921 — 105 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 4,910 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 Davidson River usually at its fullest?

At the Pisgah Forest gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 143 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Davidson River?

The July median at this gauge is about 73 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 Davidson 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 103 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 03441000 (DAVIDSON RIVER NEAR BREVARD, NC), chosen because it best represents the Pisgah National Forest stretch above Brevard. Daily records here reach back to 1921.

Data: USGS gauge 03441000, approved daily records 1921–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.