River Report

Coosawattee River river

3 streamgauges 53% of normal Last updated 2026-05-21
Aggregate flow
1,562cfs
% of normal
53%
Daily volume
3,098AF
Seasonal avg
2,964cfs

Total streamflow across the Coosawattee River was last observed at 1,562 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 3,098 acre-ft of water today; about 53% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,964 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2016-01-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 23,440 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Coosawattee River Near Pine Chapel reporting a streamflow rate of 719 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Coosawattee River, with a gauge stage of 4.92 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Coosawattee River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,218 ft, the Coosawattee River Near Ellijay.

Max discharge

Coosawattee River Near Pine Chapel

719cfs
Highest stage

Coosawattee River Near Pine Chapel

4.92ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Coosawattee River Near Ellijay

1,218ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Coosawattee River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Coosawattee River

All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Coosawattee River Near Ellijay GA
USGS 02380500
235 1.49 0.0 43% 67 25,000 1,218
Coosawattee River Near Pine Chapel GA
USGS 02383500
719 4.92 -10.1 52% 262 40,200 671
Coosawattee River At Carters GA
USGS 02382500
608 4.80 3.4 57% 233 57,000 660
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Coosawattee River

The Coosawattee River is a 49-mile-long river located in northern Georgia. It flows through the Appalachian Mountains and is a tributary of the Oostanaula River. The river has a rich history, and Native American tribes have lived in the area for thousands of years. The name "Coosawattee" comes from the Cherokee language and means "old town." The river is an important source of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. There are several dams and reservoirs along the river, including the Carters Lake Dam and the Coosawattee Dam. These dams provide recreational opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming. The river is also used for agricultural purposes and provides water for crops and livestock.

Around the river

Recreation along the Coosawattee River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Coosawattee River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Coosawattee River

Where does the data for the Coosawattee River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.