West Virginia · Albright, WV

Cheat River float season

Gauge 03070260 on the Cheat Canyon, Albright to Jenkinsburg. Spring raft crews chase the Cheat's snowmelt surge through a remote canyon brought back to life by decades of acid-mine cleanup.

raftkayak Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Cheat River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1k 5k 10k 15k
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 Cheat River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Albright gauge, the Cheat River 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 February days at this gauge ran above 3,070 CFS; the September median is 371 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 2,160
February 3,070
March 2,740
April 2,725
May 2,540
June 1,070
July 826
August 628
September 371
October 533
November 1,295
December 2,410

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1997 — 29 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 42,600 CFS, in March 2021. 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 West Virginia float rivers

Common questions

When is the Cheat River usually at its fullest?

At the Albright gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in February (about 3,070 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Cheat River?

The July median at this gauge is about 826 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 Cheat 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 17 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 03070260 (CHEAT RIVER AT ALBRIGHT, WV), chosen because it best represents the Cheat Canyon, Albright to Jenkinsburg. Daily records here reach back to 1997.

Data: USGS gauge 03070260, approved daily records 1997–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.