Ohio · Morrow, OH

Little Miami River float season

Gauge 03245500 on the Morrow to Milford on the lower valley. A National Scenic River with the biggest livery scene in Ohio, floating summer crowds down a green corridor on Cincinnati's doorstep.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Little Miami River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 400 1.5k 4k 6k
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 Little Miami River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Morrow gauge, the Little Miami 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 1,510 CFS; the September median is 172 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 900
February 1,180
March 1,510
April 1,155
May 832
June 578
July 376
August 230
September 172
October 183
November 360
December 634

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1916 — 110 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 72,400 CFS, in January 1959. 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 Ohio float rivers

Common questions

When is the Little Miami River usually at its fullest?

At the Morrow gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 1,510 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Little Miami River?

The July median at this gauge is about 376 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 Little Miami 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 101 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 03245500 (Little Miami River at Milford OH), chosen because it best represents the Morrow to Milford on the lower valley. Daily records here reach back to 1916.

Data: USGS gauge 03245500, approved daily records 1916–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.