Virginia · Richmond, VA

James River (Richmond) float season

Gauge 02037500 on the Fall line through downtown Richmond, Pony Pasture to Manchester. Rafters ride fall-line whitewater past a downtown skyline here like nowhere else in America.

kayakraftsuptubing Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
James River (Richmond) — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2k 7.5k 15k 25k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for James River (Richmond). Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Richmond gauge, the James River (Richmond) runs fullest Feb–Apr and leanest Aug–Oct. 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 9,130 CFS; the September median is 1,480 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 6,320
February 7,720
March 9,130
April 7,475
May 6,320
June 3,510
July 2,280
August 1,900
September 1,480
October 1,770
November 2,560
December 4,900

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1937 — 89 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 296,000 CFS, in June 1972. 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 Virginia float rivers

Common questions

When is the James River (Richmond) usually at its fullest?

At the Richmond gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 9,130 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the James River (Richmond)?

The July median at this gauge is about 2,280 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 James River (Richmond) 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 89 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 02037500 (JAMES RIVER NEAR RICHMOND, VA), chosen because it best represents the Fall line through downtown Richmond, Pony Pasture to Manchester. Daily records here reach back to 1937.

Data: USGS gauge 02037500, approved daily records 1937–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.