Live streamflow across the country.

# Rivers Running High: Historic Flows Transform America's Waterways

**Major river systems across the United States are experiencing dramatically elevated streamflows this week, with some waterways surging to levels more than 200 times their historical averages. The Ohio River at Old Shawneetown leads the nation with a massive 259,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), while watershed data reveals extraordinary conditions from the Eastern Seaboard to the Southwest. The Upper Babocomari River in Arizona has exploded to an astounding 280,845% of normal flow, while multiple watersheds in Texas, Pennsylvania, and the Southeast are running at 1,000-5,000% above typical levels. From sunny skies in Florida to scattered snow showers in Oregon, diverse weather patterns are driving these exceptional conditions.**

The Mississippi River system and its major tributaries are commanding attention, with flows at St. Paul and Hastings, Minnesota registering 23,900 and 27,700 cfs respectively under partly sunny skies. The Minnesota River watershed is experiencing sustained high water, with gauges from Lac Qui Parle to Jordan showing flows 600-2,800% above normal—creating exceptional conditions for anglers but requiring caution for boaters. Meanwhile, the Arkansas River through Tulsa and Kansas is pushing 10,700 cfs amid thunderstorm threats, while the White River system in Arkansas displays robust flows exceeding 43,800 cfs at Batesville, ideal for trout fishing enthusiasts downstream of the dams.

Eastern watersheds are experiencing particularly dramatic surges. Pennsylvania's Schuylkill River watershed is running at 3,434% of normal, while the Appomattox in Virginia has reached nearly 3,900% of typical flows. The Savannah River is maintaining strong flows from Augusta, Georgia to Port Wentworth with 9,000-25,700 cfs under sunny conditions. In stark contrast, Washington's Lake Washington and Strait of Georgia regions show below-normal flows at just 73-82% of average, while Florida's St. Johns River presents mixed conditions—Jacksonville seeing 152,000 cfs while the Lower St. Johns watershed runs at only 61% of normal, suggesting highly localized rainfall patterns across the state's massive river system.