West Virginia · Philippi, WV

Tygart Valley River float season

Gauge 03054500 on the Arden section below Philippi. Spring rain and dam spill light up the Arden section's sandstone ledges just downstream of Philippi's covered bridge.

raftkayak Fullest: Feb–Apr Leanest: Aug–Oct
Tygart Valley River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 600 2.5k 5k 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 Tygart Valley River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Philippi gauge, the Tygart Valley 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 March days at this gauge ran above 2,480 CFS; the September median is 178 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 1,850
February 2,100
March 2,480
April 2,085
May 1,430
June 586
July 400
August 288
September 178
October 241
November 836
December 1,680

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1940 — 86 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 50,900 CFS, in November 1986. 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 Tygart Valley River usually at its fullest?

At the Philippi gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Feb–Apr, with the single highest monthly median in March (about 2,480 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.

What is a typical summer flow on the Tygart Valley River?

The July median at this gauge is about 400 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 Tygart Valley 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 86 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 03054500 (TYGART VALLEY RIVER AT PHILIPPI, WV), chosen because it best represents the Arden section below Philippi. Daily records here reach back to 1940.

Data: USGS gauge 03054500, approved daily records 1940–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.