Washington · Darrington, WA

Sauk River float season

Gauge 12189500 on the Darrington to the Skagit confluence. A free-flowing Glacier Peak river, milky with mountain flour, that gives Darrington its backyard wilderness rafting run.

raftkayak Fullest: May–Jul Leanest: Aug–Oct
Sauk River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 750 3k 7.5k 10k
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 Sauk River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Darrington gauge, the Sauk River runs fullest May–Jul 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 June days at this gauge ran above 7,145 CFS; the September median is 1,635 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 3,240
February 2,930
March 2,800
April 3,540
May 6,170
June 7,145
July 5,030
August 2,200
September 1,635
October 2,050
November 3,445
December 3,480

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1929 — 97 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 69,900 CFS, in November 1991. 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 Washington float rivers

Common questions

When is the Sauk River usually at its fullest?

At the Darrington gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is May–Jul, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 7,145 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Sauk River?

The July median at this gauge is about 5,030 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 Sauk 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 98 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 12189500 (SAUK RIVER NEAR SAUK, WA), chosen because it best represents the Darrington to the Skagit confluence. Daily records here reach back to 1929.

Data: USGS gauge 12189500, approved daily records 1929–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.