Washington · Ellensburg, WA

Yakima River float season

Gauge 12484500 on the Yakima Canyon: Ringer Loop through Umtanum to Roza. Ellensburg's tubing and fly-fishing canyon, where basalt cliffs, bighorn sheep, and irrigation-steady summer flows keep the flotilla moving toward Roza.

tubingraftdriftboat Fullest: Jun–Aug Leanest: Nov–Jan
Yakima River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 500 2k 4k 7.5k
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 Yakima River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Ellensburg gauge, the Yakima River runs fullest Jun–Aug and leanest Nov–Jan. 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 August days at this gauge ran above 3,490 CFS; the November median is 901 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 1,170
February 1,350
March 1,710
April 2,795
May 3,270
June 3,180
July 3,420
August 3,490
September 1,615
October 1,200
November 901
December 1,020

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1934 — 92 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 29,600 CFS, in December 1934. 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 Yakima River usually at its fullest?

At the Ellensburg gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Jun–Aug, with the single highest monthly median in August (about 3,490 CFS). The leanest months are usually Nov–Jan.

What is a typical summer flow on the Yakima River?

The July median at this gauge is about 3,420 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 Yakima 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 92 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 12484500 (YAKIMA RIVER AT UMTANUM, WA), chosen because it best represents the Yakima Canyon: Ringer Loop through Umtanum to Roza. Daily records here reach back to 1934.

Data: USGS gauge 12484500, approved daily records 1934–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.