Washington · Spokane, WA

Spokane River float season

Gauge 12422500 on the Downtown Spokane through the Bowl and Pitcher to Plese Flats. A river through the middle of a city — locals launch near downtown and ride basalt-walled water past the Bowl and Pitcher's giant boulders.

rafttubingkayak Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Aug–Oct
Spokane River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2k 7.5k 15k 30k
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 Spokane River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Spokane gauge, the Spokane River runs fullest Apr–Jun 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 May days at this gauge ran above 17,500 CFS; the August median is 1,500 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 4,070
February 5,240
March 7,350
April 13,900
May 17,500
June 8,045
July 2,410
August 1,500
September 1,660
October 2,030
November 2,660
December 3,970

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1891 — 135 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 49,000 CFS, in May 1894. 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 Spokane River usually at its fullest?

At the Spokane gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 17,500 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Spokane River?

The July median at this gauge is about 2,410 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 Spokane 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 135 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 12422500 (Spokane River at Spokane, WA), chosen because it best represents the Downtown Spokane through the Bowl and Pitcher to Plese Flats. Daily records here reach back to 1891.

Data: USGS gauge 12422500, approved daily records 1891–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.