California River Flow Rates & Stream Gauge Data

Live USGS stream gauge data for California — current CFS flow rates, gauge heights, water temperatures, and wading conditions for California rivers and streams. Updated every 15 minutes. Know before you go.

Planning with California river conditions

Browse USGS monitoring stations across California rivers and streams. Each gauge page shows current readings plus 7, 14, and 30-day flow-rate charts with condition indicators. Compare the station name and location with your intended reach, then use the recent trend alongside the current reading. Rain, snowmelt, dams, tributaries, and the distance between stations can produce different conditions on the same river.

California river guides

• Truckee River — The Truckee River is a high-elevation California and Nevada trout river where snowmelt, reservoir releases, and changing canyon conditions make current flow data essential.
• McCloud River — The McCloud River is a cold northern California trout river with spring influence and well-defined mapped reaches. Its gauge search is a useful first check when planning a wade.
• Sacramento River — The Sacramento River is a large northern California river system with extensive mapped water and a broad range of trout, steelhead, and salmon habitat.
• Kern River — The Kern River is a high-gradient California river system with mapped trout reaches and large changes in character between its upper and lower sections.

Plan seasonal fly selection with the California hatch chart.