Pennsylvania · Ohiopyle, PA

Youghiogheny River float season

Gauge 03081500 on the Ohiopyle — Middle and Lower Yough around Ohiopyle Falls. The Yough at Ohiopyle is the beating heart of Mid-Atlantic paddling, with reliable summer flows, a raft-guide culture all its own, and the Great Allegheny Passage rolling alongside.

raftkayakcanoe Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Jul–Sep
Youghiogheny River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 750 3k 7.5k 10k
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 Youghiogheny River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Ohiopyle gauge, the Youghiogheny River runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Jul–Sep. 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 February days at this gauge ran above 2,440 CFS; the August median is 921 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 1,860
February 2,440
March 2,300
April 2,315
May 2,330
June 1,065
July 941
August 921
September 925
October 943
November 987
December 1,610

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 2003 — 23 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 24,200 CFS, in September 2018. 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 Pennsylvania float rivers

Common questions

When is the Youghiogheny River usually at its fullest?

At the Ohiopyle gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 2,440 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.

What is a typical summer flow on the Youghiogheny River?

The July median at this gauge is about 941 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 Youghiogheny 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 17 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 03081500 (Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle, PA), chosen because it best represents the Ohiopyle — Middle and Lower Yough around Ohiopyle Falls. Daily records here reach back to 2003.

Data: USGS gauge 03081500, approved daily records 2003–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.