Cannon River Flow Today
As of October 22, 2026 at 2:00 AM, the Cannon River is flowing at 451 cfs at Welch, MN — 116% of normal for the date and down 15% in 24 hours. ❤ Favorite
Cannon River map
See the Cannon River on a live map
Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
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Cannon River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Welch, the Cannon River is running 451 cfs — 116% of normal, down 15% since yesterday. Along the river, 1 of 1 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 116% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is dropping at Welch (-15%).
How the Cannon River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Welch741 ft 451 cfs116%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per Cannon River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (116%).
Cannon River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cannon River At Welch MN
Oct 22, 2:00 AM · USGS 05355200 |
451 cfs | 116% | -15% | 4.09 ft | 741 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Dams & reservoirs on the Cannon River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
Cannon River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river (this total last updated earlier; the live gauge readings above are current).
Cannon River
The Cannon River is a 112-mile-long tributary of the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota. The river was named after Colonel William Cannon, an early settler in the area. It starts in Rice County and flows eastward through Faribault, Northfield, and Cannon Falls before emptying into the Mississippi River near Red Wing. The river is known for its scenic beauty and has several popular recreational activities like kayaking, fishing, and camping. It also provides water for irrigation and agricultural use. The river has four main reservoirs - Shields Lake, Lake Byllesby, Lake Pepin, and Lake Tetonka - and several dams used for hydroelectric power generation. In the past, the river was used for transportation of goods, but today it serves primarily as a source of water for the local community.
About the Cannon River
How is the Cannon River flowing right now?
As of October 22, 2026, the Cannon River is flowing at 451 cfs at Welch, MN, about 116% of normal for the date. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Cannon River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Cannon River is at 116% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.