Red Flag Warning
2026-04-23T19:00:00-06:00

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 216, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 248, 249, 250 and 251. * TIMING...From 11 AM to 7 PM MDT Thursday. * WINDS...Northwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph across the southern Front Range Foothills and South Park through early Thursday afternoon.. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.

Chattooga River

Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Total streamflow across the Chattooga River was last observed at 269 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 534 acre-ft of water today; about 30% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 901 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2020-04-14 when daily discharge volume was observed at 29,640 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Chattooga River Near Clayton reporting a streamflow rate of 269 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Chattooga River Above Gaylesville Al with a gauge stage of 4.07 ft. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Chattooga River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,165 ft, the Chattooga River Near Clayton.

The Chattooga River is a 57-mile-long river that flows through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.


15-Day Long Term Forecast


River Details

Last Updated 2026-04-22
Discharge Volume 534 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 269.0 cfs
Past 24 Hours: 0.0 cfs (0.0%)
Percent of Normal 29.87%
Maximum 29,640.0 cfs
2020-04-14
Seasonal Avg 901 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Chattooga River Near Clayton
USGS 02177000
269 cfs 1.37 ft 0
Chattooga River At Summerville
USGS 02398000
99 cfs 2.17 ft 0
Chattooga River Above Gaylesville Al
USGS 02398300
189 cfs 4.07 ft -2.58
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Chattooga River (also spelled Chatooga, Chatuga, and Chautaga, variant name Guinekelokee River) is the main tributary of the Tugaloo River. Its headwaters are located southwest of Cashiers, North Carolina, and it stretches 57 miles (92 km) to where it has its confluence with the Tallulah River within Lake Tugalo, held back by the Tugalo Dam. The Chattooga and the Tallulah combine to make the Tugaloo River starting at the outlet of Lake Tugalo. The Chattooga begins in southern Jackson County, North Carolina, then flows southwestward between northwestern Oconee County, South Carolina, and eastern Rabun County, Georgia. The "Chattooga" spelling was approved by the US Board on Geographic Names in 1897.The Chattooga River flows into Tugalo Lake where it joins the Tallulah River. After flowing through Tugalo Dam the combined rivers become the Tugaloo River which, along with the Seneca River, becomes the Savannah River below Lake Hartwell. Downstream from that point, the water flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Savannah, Georgia. The Chattooga was used as a setting for the fictional Cahulawassee River in the book and film Deliverance.