Washington · BZ Corner, WA

White Salmon River float season

Gauge 14123500 on the BZ Corner to Husum. Spring-fed and startlingly cold all year, the BZ Corner run stacks basalt-slot rapids into the Columbia Gorge's favorite raft trip.

raftkayak Fullest: Mar–May Leanest: Aug–Oct
White Salmon River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 200 750 1.5k 2.5k
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 White Salmon River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the BZ Corner gauge, the White Salmon River runs fullest Mar–May 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 1,510 CFS; the October median is 593 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 1,130
February 1,300
March 1,380
April 1,450
May 1,510
June 1,180
July 845
August 660
September 604
October 593
November 697
December 885

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1916 — 110 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 15,400 CFS, in February 1996. 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 White Salmon River usually at its fullest?

At the BZ Corner gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Mar–May, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 1,510 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the White Salmon River?

The July median at this gauge is about 845 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.

Is the White Salmon 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 106 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 14123500 (WHITE SALMON RIVER NEAR UNDERWOOD, WA), chosen because it best represents the BZ Corner to Husum. Daily records here reach back to 1916.

Data: USGS gauge 14123500, approved daily records 1916–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.