Oregon · Service Creek, OR
John Day River float season
Gauge 14046500 on the Service Creek to Clarno. Undammed desert miles past painted hills and basalt rims, floated overnight in spring before the river shrinks to a summer trickle.
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 John Day River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Service Creek gauge, the John Day River 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 4,525 CFS; the September median is 117 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 940 | |
| February | 1,530 | |
| March | 2,670 | |
| April | 4,525 | |
| May | 4,380 | |
| June | 1,875 | |
| July | 359 | |
| August | 120 | |
| September | 117 | |
| October | 307 | |
| November | 442 | |
| December | 601 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1930 — 96 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 36,400 CFS, in January 1965. 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 Oregon float rivers
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Clackamas River
Milo McIver Park to Barton and Carver
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Deschutes River
Riverbend Park through the Bend Whitewater Park to Drake Park
Fullest: Jun–Aug
-
Deschutes River
Warm Springs to Sherars Falls through Maupin
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Grande Ronde River
Minam to Troy
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
McKenzie River
Finn Rock through Vida to Leaburg
Fullest: Dec–Feb
-
North Santiam River
Packsaddle Park through Mill City to Mehama
Fullest: Nov–Jan
Common questions
When is the John Day River usually at its fullest?
At the Service Creek gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 4,525 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the John Day River?
The July median at this gauge is about 359 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 John Day 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 97 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 14046500 (JOHN DAY RIVER AT SERVICE CREEK, OR), chosen because it best represents the Service Creek to Clarno. Daily records here reach back to 1930.
Data: USGS gauge 14046500, approved daily records 1930–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.