South Carolina · Canadys, SC

Edisto River float season

Gauge 02175000 on the Colleton State Park to Givhans Ferry State Park. The longest free-flowing blackwater river in North America drifts tea-dark past cypress knees and rope swings on its state-park-to-state-park run.

canoekayaktubing Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Sep–Nov
Edisto River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 600 2.5k 6k 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 Edisto River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Canadys gauge, the Edisto River runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Sep–Nov. 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 3,420 CFS; the September median is 1,010 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 2,520
February 3,270
March 3,420
April 2,580
May 1,420
June 1,260
July 1,100
August 1,230
September 1,010
October 1,010
November 1,080
December 1,630

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1939 — 87 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 35,100 CFS, in August 2024. 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 South Carolina float rivers

Common questions

When is the Edisto River usually at its fullest?

At the Canadys gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 3,420 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.

What is a typical summer flow on the Edisto River?

The July median at this gauge is about 1,100 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 Edisto 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 87 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 02175000 (EDISTO RIVER NR GIVHANS, SC), chosen because it best represents the Colleton State Park to Givhans Ferry State Park. Daily records here reach back to 1939.

Data: USGS gauge 02175000, approved daily records 1939–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.