Tennessee · Kelso, TN
Elk River float season
Gauge 03582000 on the Tims Ford Dam tailwater through Kelso toward Fayetteville. Cold releases from Tims Ford keep this shady tailwater drifting all summer, tubes and trout rods sharing the current through Kelso.
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 Elk River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Kelso gauge, the Elk River runs fullest Dec–Feb 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 December days at this gauge ran above 2,290 CFS; the September median is 346 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2,170 | |
| February | 1,750 | |
| March | 1,570 | |
| April | 1,270 | |
| May | 682 | |
| June | 507 | |
| July | 395 | |
| August | 375 | |
| September | 346 | |
| October | 474 | |
| November | 1,530 | |
| December | 2,290 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1971 — 55 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 31,300 CFS, in March 1973. 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 Tennessee float rivers
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Buffalo River
Lower river through Flatwoods toward Topsy
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Caney Fork River
Center Hill Dam tailwater through Happy Hollow and Betty's Island
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Duck River
Iron Bridge Road to Chickasaw Trace at Columbia
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Harpeth River
Narrows of the Harpeth loop at Harpeth River State Park
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Nolichucky River
Nolichucky Gorge, Poplar NC to Erwin TN
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Pigeon River
Walters powerhouse releases through the Hartford rafting stretch
Fullest: Feb–Apr
Common questions
When is the Elk River usually at its fullest?
At the Kelso gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Dec–Feb, with the single highest monthly median in December (about 2,290 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.
What is a typical summer flow on the Elk River?
The July median at this gauge is about 395 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 Elk 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 29 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 03582000 (ELK RIVER ABOVE FAYETTEVILLE, TN), chosen because it best represents the Tims Ford Dam tailwater through Kelso toward Fayetteville. Daily records here reach back to 1971.
Data: USGS gauge 03582000, approved daily records 1971–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.