Whitewater guide
What river flow is best for rafting?
A beginner’s guide to reading cfs for a raft trip: what Too low, Low, Good and High mean on LakeCharts, how the ranges are set, and live examples from the Colorado, New, Snake, Yough and more.
Short answer: the best flow for a raft trip is one inside the runnable range for that river section, usually in the middle of it. A number on its own means little: 2,000 cfs is American Whitewater’s minimum for Westwater Canyon on the Colorado, while the New River Gorge’s range starts at 500 cfs. Every LakeCharts rafting page compares today’s flow with American Whitewater’s range and labels it Too low, Low, Good, High or Too high.
Cfs in plain English
Cfs means cubic feet per second: how much water passes the gauge each second. One cubic foot is about 7.5 gallons, so 1,000 cfs is about 7,500 gallons every second. Bigger rivers need more water to be runnable: a wide desert canyon at 2,000 cfs can feel shallow, while a steep mountain creek at 300 cfs can be a serious trip. That is why you always compare the number with the range for the same gauge and section.
What our bands mean on a raft trip
| Band | What it means | On a raft trip |
|---|---|---|
| Too low | Below American Whitewater’s minimum | Rocks, scraping and getting stuck. Outfitters may cancel or switch sections. |
| Low | Between AW’s minimum and its medium range | Runnable but slower and more technical, with more rocks to steer around. |
| Good | AW’s medium range (or “in range” where AW gives only a min and max) | What most trips aim for: lively water and clean lines. |
| High | Above the medium range, below AW’s maximum | Bigger waves, faster water, stronger holes and harder rescues. Rapids can rate a class higher. |
| Too high / Flood | Above AW’s maximum, or at the National Weather Service flood stage | Stay off. Commercial trips usually don’t run. |
How the bands are set: American Whitewater volunteers calibrate a low, medium, high and maximum level for each reach against one specific gauge. We show a band only when AW’s range is defined on the same gauge as the page, and we link the AW reach page so you can see the source. For kayak-specific advice see what cfs is safe for kayaking.
A beginner’s checklist
- Pick the section, not just the river. The same river can go from Class II to Class V a few miles apart. The Youghiogheny’s Middle section is Class I–II and popular with families; the Upper Yough is Class IV–V.
- Check the class. Rapids are rated on the International Scale of River Difficulty, Class I to VI. Class II–III is the usual first trip.
- Check the band and the trend. Open the river page: look at the band and the 7-day chart. A river rising fast after rain is different from one holding steady.
- For dam-release rivers, check the schedule. Flow arrives when the dam opens; see the dam release rafting schedules.
- Dress for the water. The National Center for Cold Water Safety recommends a wetsuit or drysuit whenever the water is below 70°F (coldwatersafety.org).
- Go with a licensed outfitter for your first trips. Guides know their river at every level and decide whether it runs that day.
Live examples: popular raft trips right now
Live data as of Nov 4, 2026. Min, good and max are American Whitewater’s levels for the gauge on each page.
| River / section | Class | Live page | Min (cfs) | Good (cfs) | Max (cfs) | Now | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New River: New River Gorge (Cunard to Fayette Station) | Class III–IV | New River at Thurmond | 500 | 1,000–6,600 | 15,250 | 2,110 cfs Good | AW |
| Colorado River: Pumphouse to State Bridge | Class III | Colorado River near Kremmling | 900 | — | 5,800 | 216 cfs Too low | AW |
| Colorado River: Westwater Canyon | Class III–IV | Colorado River near Colorado-Utah State Line | 2,000 | 5,000–12,500 | 30,000 | 5,930 cfs Good | AW |
| Colorado River: Fisher Towers / Daily (Cisco to Moab) | Class I–III | Colorado River near Cisco | 1,500 | 3,200–7,000 | 15,000 | 12,500 cfs High | AW |
| Snake River: Alpine Canyon (West Table to Sheep Gulch) | Class III | Snake River above Reservoir, near Alpine | 1,500 | 5,000–15,000 | 30,000 | 1,880 cfs Low | AW |
| Salmon River: Lower Salmon: Riggins area (Carey Creek to Riggins) | Class III–IV | Salmon River at White Bird | 1,000 | — | 100,000 | 4,290 cfs Runnable | AW |
| Kennebec River: Lower Kennebec (Carry Brook to The Forks) | Class II–III | Kennebec River at the Forks | 2,400 | — | 20,000 | 1,590 cfs Too low | AW |
| Wenatchee River: Leavenworth to Cashmere | Class III+ | Wenatchee River at Peshastin | 1,500 | 6,000–14,000 | 20,000 | 346 cfs Too low | AW |
| Rio Grande: Taos Box (John Dunn Bridge to Taos Junction Bridge) | Class III–IV | Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos | 600 | 1,200–2,500 | 5,000 | 2,010 cfs Good | AW |
| White Salmon River: BZ Corner to Northwestern Park | Class III+ (V) | White Salmon River near Underwood | 450 | 1,000–1,800 | 2,500 | 438 cfs Too low | AW |
| Deschutes River: Warm Springs to Sherars Falls (Maupin) | Class III | Deschutes River at Moody, near Biggs | 3,000 | — | 8,000 | 4,380 cfs Runnable | AW |
| Lochsa River: Indian Grave Creek to Wilderness Gateway | Class IV | Lochsa River near Lowell | 400 | 2,500–10,000 | 25,000 | 464 cfs Low | AW |
Want to know which months usually fall in the good range? See the best time to go whitewater rafting.
FAQ
What cfs is good for rafting?
It depends on the river and section. Use the range for that section’s gauge: American Whitewater publishes a minimum, a medium (good) range and a maximum for each reach, and LakeCharts labels today’s flow against it.
Is 1,000 cfs a lot for rafting?
On a small mountain river 1,000 cfs can be high; on a big river like the Colorado in Westwater Canyon it is below the minimum. Always compare with the range for the same gauge.
What flow is too high for rafting?
Above American Whitewater’s maximum for the section, or at the National Weather Service flood stage. LakeCharts labels those as Too high or Flood.
Is rafting different from kayaking for flows?
The same gauge ranges apply, but commercial outfitters set their own limits for running trips. Our kayaking guide covers safe cfs for paddlers.
Where do LakeCharts’ flow ranges come from?
From American Whitewater. We show a range only when AW defines it on the same USGS gauge as the page, and we link the AW reach page as the source.
More guides
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- What does “full pool” mean?Conservation pool vs. flood pool vs. summer pool, with today’s numbers from Lanier to Lake Mead.
- Texas lake levels todayStatewide storage, the lowest and fullest lakes, and every reservoir’s percent full.
- Bass fishing water temperature chartSpawning and feeding temperatures from fish agencies, plus live lake water temperatures.
- What CFS is safe for kayaking and rafting?Live flows against American Whitewater ranges for classic Eastern runs.
- Ocoee, Nantahala, Pigeon and Hiwassee release schedulesRemaining 2026 release dates, how the season ran, and where the 2027 calendars will appear.
- Why is the lake so low? Winter drawdowns explainedFlood-storage drawdowns, guide curves, utility winter levels and drought, with today’s lowest lakes.
- Lake levels this fall: which lakes are low or high right nowDaily rankings: furthest below and above full pool, lowest percent full, biggest 7-day moves.
- Best time to go whitewater rafting, river by riverTypical flow each month against American Whitewater’s ranges, for 40+ rafting runs.
- Dam release rafting schedulesOfficial release calendars for the Gauley, Kennebec, Dead, Upper Yough, Deerfield and Lehigh.
- Best water temperature for fishing, by speciesAgency temperature ranges for six species, plus live lake temperatures and levels.
- Winter lake fishing during drawdownsHow a falling lake moves fish, where to look, and which lakes are down the most today.