Vermont · Middlebury, VT
Otter Creek float season
Gauge 04282500 on the Middlebury area flatwater above Belden Falls. Vermont's longest river idles through Champlain Valley farmland here, a glassy canoe-and-SUP cruise where herons outnumber other boats on a weekday.
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 Otter Creek. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Middlebury gauge, the Otter Creek 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 2,435 CFS; the August median is 327 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 709 | |
| February | 650 | |
| March | 1,170 | |
| April | 2,435 | |
| May | 1,300 | |
| June | 700 | |
| July | 406 | |
| August | 327 | |
| September | 327 | |
| October | 438 | |
| November | 717 | |
| December | 810 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1903 — 123 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 11,000 CFS, in March 1936. 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
-
Lamoille River
Johnson to Jeffersonville along the Lamoille Paddlers' Trail
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 Otter Creek usually at its fullest?
At the Middlebury gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 2,435 CFS). The leanest months are usually Jul–Sep.
What is a typical summer flow on the Otter Creek?
The July median at this gauge is about 406 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 Otter Creek 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 110 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 04282500 (OTTER CREEK AT MIDDLEBURY, VT), chosen because it best represents the Middlebury area flatwater above Belden Falls. Daily records here reach back to 1903.
Data: USGS gauge 04282500, approved daily records 1903–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.