Tennessee · Hartford, TN
Pigeon River float season
Gauge 03460795 on the Walters powerhouse releases through the Hartford rafting stretch. Dam-release water through a Smokies gorge keeps Hartford's raft buses running all summer.
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 Pigeon River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Hartford gauge, the Pigeon 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 1,430 CFS; the September median is 375 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,170 | |
| February | 1,370 | |
| March | 1,430 | |
| April | 1,260 | |
| May | 948 | |
| June | 709 | |
| July | 616 | |
| August | 546 | |
| September | 375 | |
| October | 422 | |
| November | 518 | |
| December | 864 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1997 — 29 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 42,700 CFS, in September 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 Tennessee float rivers
-
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
-
Elk River
Tims Ford Dam tailwater through Kelso toward Fayetteville
Fullest: Dec–Feb
-
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
Common questions
When is the Pigeon River usually at its fullest?
At the Hartford gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 1,430 CFS). The leanest months are usually Sep–Nov.
What is a typical summer flow on the Pigeon River?
The July median at this gauge is about 616 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 Pigeon 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 03460795 (PIGEON R BL POWER PLANT NR WATERVILLE, NC), chosen because it best represents the Walters powerhouse releases through the Hartford rafting stretch. Daily records here reach back to 1997.
Data: USGS gauge 03460795, approved daily records 1997–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.