California River Minimum Flow Chart
The following chart is a guide for
minimum desirable flows in rivers. All
California river flows are in
(CFS) cubic feet per second. Many rivers require a larger flow for whitewater
rafts. Paddle rafts can negoiate easier than oar rafts at low flows. Current
river flows are available 24 hours a day. Be aware that flows sometimes vary
widely during any given day due to releases, rainfall, or stream runoff. Many
times power generation releases are lower on weekends than on
weekdays.
WHITEWATER SKILLS INSTRUCTION The basic skills of canoeing,
kayaking and whitewater rafting can be obtained through the many schools
available. Know the
AWA
safety code, and practice it. The inexperienced boater is the most likely
to get into trouble, go with someone who has been down the river before if
possible.
| CALIFORNIA RIVER FLOW CHART |
|
RIVER |
GAUGE STATION |
RIVER RUN |
WHITE WATER |
FLAT WATER |
MIN. FLOW CFS |
COMMENTS |
| American No. Fork |
Lake Clementine Inflow |
Colfax to Weimar |
yes, up to class 4+ |
|
300 cfs |
WW kayaks & WW rafts |
| American Mid. Fork |
Oxbow Powerhouse |
Forest Hill to Ruck-A-Chucky Rapids |
yes, class 3-4 with portage |
|
500 cfs |
Power releases* WW Rafts |
|
American So. Fork |
Chili Bar Release |
Chili Bar to Folom Lake |
yes, 3-4 |
|
900 cfs |
Power releases* |
| American Lower/Main |
Nimbus Release |
Nimbus Dam to Sacto. river |
|
yes, class 1-2 |
1200 cfs |
For canoes, kayaks & small rafts |
| Cache Creek |
Rumsey Guonda |
Bear Creek to Rumsey |
yes, up to class 3 |
|
400 cfs |
Canoe & kayak run |
|
Carson East Fork |
Gardnerville |
Markleeville to Gardnerville NV. |
yes, up to class-3 |
|
500 cfs kayaks 900 cfs rafts |
Minimum for kayaks, very rocky. |
| Consumnes |
Michigan Bar |
Hwy 49 to Sloughouse |
|
yes, class 1+ |
400 cfs |
Nice canoe run |
| Eel Main fork |
Lake Pillsbury |
Scott Dam to Van Arsdale |
yes |
|
300 cfs |
|
| Eel Main fork |
Fort Seward |
Dos Rios to South Fork |
yes, up to class 3+ |
|
700 canoes 1200 rafts |
Nice canoe run below Alderpoint |
| Eel Main fork |
Scotia |
South Fork to Rio Dell |
yes, |
yes, |
2200 cfs |
|
| Eel Middle Fork |
|
Eel River R.S. to Dos Rios |
yes, |
|
750 cfs |
kayaks |
| Eel South Fork |
Leggett |
Leggett to Weott |
yes, |
yes, |
500 cfs |
canoe run |
| Feather |
Fish Barrier Bypass |
Oroville to Thermalito |
|
yes |
400 cfs |
canoe run |
| Feather |
Gridley |
Thermalito to Sacramento River |
|
yes |
1000 cfs |
canoe run |
|
Kern |
Kernville |
Kernville |
yes |
|
300 cfs |
canoe & kayaks run |
| Kern |
Isabella Res. Release |
Miracle Hot Springs to Democrat Springs |
yes |
|
500 cfs |
WW kayaks & WW rafts |
| Kings |
Rodgers Crossing |
Above Pine Flat Dam |
yes |
|
500 cfs |
WW kayak & WW raft run |
| Kings |
Pine Flat Res. Release |
Dam to Alta Weir and Alta Weir to Reedley |
yes |
yes |
800 cfs |
kayak & canoe run. PORTAGE Alta Weir on
right. |
|
Klamath |
|
Iron Gate Dam to Seiad Valley |
yes |
|
1300 cfs |
canoe & kayak run |
| Klamath |
Orleans |
Seiad Valley to Weitchpec |
yes |
|
1600 cfs |
|
| Klamath |
Klamath Glen |
Weitchpec to Klamath Glen |
yes |
|
2200 |
|
| Merced |
Lake McClure Inflow |
Briceburg to Lake McClure |
yes |
|
500 |
kayaks & WW rafts |
|
Mokelumne |
Pardee Inflow |
Electra to Hwy 49 |
yes, class 2 |
|
500 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Mokelumne |
Camanche Res. Release |
Camanche Dam to Lodi |
|
yes, class 1+ |
300 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Owens |
|
Bishop to Aberdeen |
|
yes, class 1+ |
200 |
canoe run watch out for snags |
| Russian |
Hopland |
Ukiah to Cloverdale |
yes |
|
350 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Russian |
Healdsburg |
Cloverdale to Healdsburg |
|
yes, class 1+ |
500 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Russian |
Hacienda Bridge |
Healdsburg to Austin Creek |
|
yes, class 1 |
650 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Sacramento |
Lake Siskiou Release |
Box Canyon to Lake Shasta |
yes, class 3+ |
|
300 |
WW kayak & WW raft |
| Sacramento |
Keswick Dam Release |
Keswick Dam to Red Bluff |
|
yes, class 2 |
5000 |
Great canoe run. Camp on islands. |
| Sacramento |
Colusa |
Red Bluff to Sacramento |
|
yes, class 1 |
5000 |
Watch out for snags. |
| Salmon |
|
Forks of Salmon to Klamath River |
yes, class 4 |
|
600 |
WW kayak & WW raft |
|
Scott |
|
Etna to Klamath River |
yes |
yes |
700 |
|
| Smith |
Jediah Smith State Park |
Sout Fork to Hwy. 101 |
|
yes |
600 |
canoe & kayak |
| Stanislaus River |
Orange Blossom |
Knights Ferry to Caswell State Park |
|
yes |
300 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Trinity |
Lewiston Res. Release |
Lewiston to Junction City |
yes, class 2+ |
|
550 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Trinity |
|
Junction City to Cedar Flat |
yes |
|
1000 |
WW kayak & WW raft |
| Trinity |
Hoopa |
So. Fork to Weitchpec |
yes |
|
1600 |
WW kayak & WW raft |
| Truckee |
Lake Tahoe Release at Fanny Bridge |
Tahoe City to River Ranch/Truckee |
yes, class 2+ |
|
500 |
WW kayak & WW canoe |
| Tuolumne |
New Don Pedro Inflow |
Lumsden Bridge to Wards Ferry |
yes, class 4 |
|
800 |
WW kayak & WW raft |
| Tuolumne |
La Grange Dam Release |
La Grange to Waterford |
|
yes, class 1+ |
200 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Tuolumne |
Modesto |
Waterford to San Joaquin River |
|
yes, class 1 |
100 |
canoe & kayak run |
| Yuba No. Fork |
Bullards Bar Res. Inflow |
Goodyear Bar to Hwy 49 |
yes |
|
500 |
WW kayak & WW raft |
| Yuba Main |
Englebright Res Release |
Hwy 20 to Marysville |
|
yes, class 2 |
|
canoe & kayak run |
* Power
releases vary due to upstream reservoir operations. Find out in advance when
these releases allow the river to come up to be boatable.
|
