North Carolina · Dillsboro, NC

Tuckasegee River float season

Gauge 03510577 on the Dillsboro to Barkers Creek. Dillsboro outfitters launch fleets of rafts and tubes on the Tuck's steady, wave-dotted glide down to Barkers Creek.

rafttubingkayak Fullest: Jan–Mar Leanest: Aug–Oct
Tuckasegee River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 2k 3k
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 Tuckasegee River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Dillsboro gauge, the Tuckasegee River 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 March days at this gauge ran above 959 CFS; the September median is 395 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 937
February 907
March 959
April 881
May 803
June 559
July 504
August 456
September 395
October 479
November 488
December 718

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 2004 — 22 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 12,600 CFS, in September 2004. 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 Tuckasegee River usually at its fullest?

At the Dillsboro gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jan–Mar, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 959 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Tuckasegee River?

The July median at this gauge is about 504 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 Tuckasegee 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 22 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 03510577 (TUCKASEGEE RIVER AT BARKER'S CREEK, NC), chosen because it best represents the Dillsboro to Barkers Creek. Daily records here reach back to 2004.

Data: USGS gauge 03510577, approved daily records 2004–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.