Oklahoma · Eldon, OK
Baron Fork Creek float season
Gauge 07197000 on the Christie and Welling down to the Illinois River confluence near Eldon. A spring-season gem beloved by Tahlequah paddlers for clear riffles and empty gravel bars when rains bring the creek alive.
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 Baron Fork Creek. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Eldon gauge, the Baron Fork 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 337 CFS; the September median is 43 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 149 | |
| February | 208 | |
| March | 290 | |
| April | 337 | |
| May | 322 | |
| June | 157 | |
| July | 75 | |
| August | 51 | |
| September | 43 | |
| October | 50 | |
| November | 85 | |
| December | 148 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1949 — 77 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 34,300 CFS, in October 1987. 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 Oklahoma float rivers
-
Blue River
Blue River falls country near Tishomingo
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Flint Creek
Flint Creek through Kansas, OK to the Illinois River
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Glover River
Battiest down to the Little River confluence near Glover
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Illinois River
Watts and No Head Hollow down through outfitter row to Tahlequah
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Kiamichi River
Canoe-camping run from the Highway 3 crossings near Rattan down to Antlers
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Lower Illinois River
Tenkiller Dam tailwater down to the Arkansas River near Gore
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Baron Fork Creek usually at its fullest?
At the Eldon gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 337 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the Baron Fork Creek?
The July median at this gauge is about 75 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 Baron Fork 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 78 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 07197000 (Baron Fork at Eldon, OK), chosen because it best represents the Christie and Welling down to the Illinois River confluence near Eldon. Daily records here reach back to 1949.
Data: USGS gauge 07197000, approved daily records 1949–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.