American River at Fair Oaks
California · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 11446500 — AMERICAN R A FAIR OAKS CA
Reading taken Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC
Up and moving — a faster float than usual
At 5,000 CFS, this gauge is running 141% of normal for late July — above the 3,550 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 70 years of record (1956–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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12 months of flow at Fair Oaks
Daily values from USGS gauge 11446500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
About American River at Fair Oaks
This gauge sits on American River at Fair Oaks, California, immediately below Folsom Lake. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Sacramento's mass-market summer raft float.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 3,550 CFS for late July, from 70 years of record.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Folsom Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
American River at Fair Oaks — common questions
What is the current flow on American River at Fair Oaks?
As of the last reading on this page, American River at Fair Oaks was running 5,000 CFS at a gage height of 8.33 ft, or 141% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 11446500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 3,550 CFS, calculated from 70 years of record (1956–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
What flow is good for tubing American River?
riverlvl does not publish a recommended tubing range — that call belongs to the outfitters and the local authorities who know this stretch. What this page gives you is the objective input: today's flow, the seasonal median for the same date, and where the reading sits in the 12-month record. Local outfitters generally publish their own cutoffs, and they close when the river is up.
Does rain upstream change this reading quickly?
Less than you would expect. This gauge is below Folsom Lake, so the dominant control is the dam release schedule, not rainfall. A storm in the basin raises the reservoir first; the operator decides when it reaches you.
What does gage height mean versus CFS?
Gage height is how high the water surface is above the gauge's own zero point, in feet — a local measure, not depth and not elevation. CFS is cubic feet per second, the volume of water moving past the gauge. Flood stages are set in gage height; float and paddling conditions are usually discussed in CFS.