Utah · Moab, UT
Colorado River float season
Gauge 09180500 on the Moab daily through Professor Valley, Hittle Bottom to Take Out Beach. The Moab daily strings splashy waves beneath Fisher Towers and Castle Valley — red-rock scenery straight off a postcard.
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 Colorado River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Moab gauge, the Colorado River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Dec–Feb. 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 19,450 CFS; the January median is 2,770 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2,770 | |
| February | 2,910 | |
| March | 3,230 | |
| April | 6,415 | |
| May | 14,900 | |
| June | 19,450 | |
| July | 6,340 | |
| August | 3,470 | |
| September | 3,450 | |
| October | 3,710 | |
| November | 3,480 | |
| December | 2,990 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1914 — 112 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 73,200 CFS, in June 1917. 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 Utah float rivers
-
Green River
Flaming Gorge tailwater, A and B sections through Little Hole
Fullest: Dec–Feb
-
Green River
Labyrinth and Stillwater canyons below Green River
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
Provo River
Middle Provo, Jordanelle tailwater through Charleston to Deer Creek
Fullest: May–Jul
Common questions
When is the Colorado River usually at its fullest?
At the Moab gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 19,450 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.
What is a typical summer flow on the Colorado River?
The July median at this gauge is about 6,340 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 Colorado 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 107 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 09180500 (COLORADO RIVER NEAR CISCO, UT), chosen because it best represents the Moab daily through Professor Valley, Hittle Bottom to Take Out Beach. Daily records here reach back to 1914.
Data: USGS gauge 09180500, approved daily records 1914–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.