Vermont · Johnson, VT
Lamoille River float season
Gauge 04292000 on the Johnson to Jeffersonville along the Lamoille Paddlers' Trail. The Lamoille's mellow oxbows between Johnson and Jeffersonville anchor a marked paddlers' trail with swimming holes, covered bridges, and rail-trail shuttle options.
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 Lamoille River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Johnson gauge, the Lamoille River runs fullest Mar–May 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 April days at this gauge ran above 1,255 CFS; the August median is 175 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 300 | |
| February | 250 | |
| March | 458 | |
| April | 1,255 | |
| May | 579 | |
| June | 287 | |
| July | 192 | |
| August | 175 | |
| September | 175 | |
| October | 252 | |
| November | 404 | |
| December | 350 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1910 — 116 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 17,900 CFS, in July 2023. 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 Vermont float rivers
-
Battenkill
Arlington covered-bridge water toward the NY line
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Otter Creek
Middlebury area flatwater above Belden Falls
Fullest: Mar–May
-
White River
Stockbridge through Bethel and Royalton
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Winooski River
Richmond through the Intervale toward Essex Junction
Fullest: Mar–May
Common questions
When is the Lamoille River usually at its fullest?
At the Johnson gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 1,255 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.
What is a typical summer flow on the Lamoille River?
The July median at this gauge is about 192 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 Lamoille 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 100 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 04292000 (LAMOILLE RIVER AT JOHNSON, VT), chosen because it best represents the Johnson to Jeffersonville along the Lamoille Paddlers' Trail. Daily records here reach back to 1910.
Data: USGS gauge 04292000, approved daily records 1910–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.