Texas · Sattler, TX
Guadalupe River float season
Gauge 08167800 on the Canyon Dam tailrace from Sattler through the Horseshoe Loop toward New Braunfels. Texas' tubing mecca, where cold, clear dam releases keep thousands of tubers drifting past river outposts and rope swings all summer long.
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 Guadalupe River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Sattler gauge, the Guadalupe River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Oct–Dec. 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 June days at this gauge ran above 237 CFS; the December median is 113 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 142 | |
| February | 163 | |
| March | 193 | |
| April | 211 | |
| May | 203 | |
| June | 237 | |
| July | 202 | |
| August | 134 | |
| September | 145 | |
| October | 114 | |
| November | 145 | |
| December | 113 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1964 — 62 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 49,700 CFS, in July 2002. 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 Texas float rivers
-
Blanco River
Wimberley through the cypress-lined bends toward Five Mile Dam near Kyle
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Brazos River
Below Morris Sheppard Dam at Possum Kingdom down to the Highway 180 bridge
Fullest: Jun–Aug
-
Colorado River
El Camino Real paddling trail from Bastrop toward Smithville
Fullest: May–Jul
-
Comal River
Prince Solms Park through the Tube Chute to the Guadalupe confluence
Fullest: Jan–Mar
-
Frio River
Garner State Park through the Concan crossings
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Guadalupe River
Upper Guadalupe from Guadalupe River State Park through Spring Branch, above Canyon Lake
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Guadalupe River usually at its fullest?
At the Sattler gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 237 CFS). The leanest months are usually Oct–Dec.
What is a typical summer flow on the Guadalupe River?
The July median at this gauge is about 202 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.
Is the Guadalupe 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 62 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 08167800 (Guadalupe Rv at Sattler, TX), chosen because it best represents the Canyon Dam tailrace from Sattler through the Horseshoe Loop toward New Braunfels. Daily records here reach back to 1964.
Data: USGS gauge 08167800, approved daily records 1964–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.