Sacramento River Flow Today
As of October 4, 2026 at 1:30 AM, the Sacramento River is flowing at 115,000 cfs at the Sacramento River A Rio Vista Ca gauge, CA — 130% of normal for the date. 10 of 12 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 205 to 115,000 cfs. ❤ Favorite
Sacramento River map
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Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
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Sacramento 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 Sacramento River A Rio Vista Ca, the Sacramento River is running 115,000 cfs — 130% of normal. Along the river, 5 of 10 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 93% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is dropping at Sacramento River A Freeport Ca (-10%).
Highest against normal: Sacramento River A Rio Vista Ca at 130%. Lowest: Sacramento River A Freeport Ca at 75%.
Paddlers: 7 of 7 runs on the Sacramento River with a live range are in range.
How the Sacramento 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
- Sacramento River A Delta Ca1,143 ft 205 cfs98%
- Sacramento River A Keswick Ca494 ft 6,060 cfs88%
- Red Bluff Ca295 ft 6,180 cfs86%
- Sacramento River A Colusa Ca36 ft 4,890 cfs81%
- Grimes Ca23 ft 5,170 cfs87%
- Delta Cross Channel Ca20 ft 6,090 cfs100%
- Sacramento River A Verona Ca18 ft 13,900 cfs120%
- Georgiana Slough Ca15 ft 10,100 cfs128%
- Sacramento River A Freeport Ca7 ft 10,700 cfs75%
- Sacramento River A Rio Vista Ca2 ft 115,000 cfs130%
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 Sacramento River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (93%).
Sacramento River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sacramento River A Delta Ca CA
Oct 5, 12:30 AM · USGS 11342000 |
205 cfs | 98% | -1% | 3.81 ft | · | 1,143 ft |
|
Sacramento River A Keswick Ca CA
Oct 5, 1:15 AM · USGS 11370500 |
6,060 cfs | 88% | 0% | 10.32 ft | · | 494 ft |
|
Sacramento River Above Bend Bridge Near Red Bluff Ca CA
Oct 5, 12:45 AM · USGS 11377100 |
6,180 cfs | 86% | -1% | 1.96 ft | 25.0 ft below | 295 ft |
|
Sacramento River A Colusa Ca CA
Oct 5, 12:45 AM · USGS 11389500 |
4,890 cfs | 81% | +0% | 40.54 ft | 29.5 ft below | 36 ft |
|
Sacramento River Below Wilkins Slough Near Grimes Ca CA
Oct 5, 12:15 AM · USGS 11390500 |
5,170 cfs | 87% | +1% | 28.85 ft | 23.9 ft below | 23 ft |
|
Sacramento River Above Delta Cross Channel Ca CA
Oct 4, 11:30 PM · USGS 11447890 |
6,090 cfs | 100% | · | 7.03 ft | · | 20 ft |
|
Sacramento River A Verona Ca CA
Oct 5, 12:45 AM · USGS 11425500 |
13,900 cfs | 120% | -3% | 14.71 ft | 26.6 ft below | 18 ft |
|
Sacramento River Below Georgiana Slough Ca CA
Oct 4, 1:30 AM · USGS 11447905 |
10,100 cfs | 128% | · | 6.95 ft | · | 15 ft |
|
Sacramento River A Freeport Ca CA
Oct 5, 12:15 AM · USGS 11447650 |
10,700 cfs | 75% | -10% | 105.13 ft | · | 7 ft |
|
Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel Near Rio Vista CA
Last reported Apr 22 · USGS 11455335 |
9,620 cfs | · | · | 23.32 ft | · | 7 ft |
|
Sacramento River Deep Water Ship Channel Near Freeport CA
Last reported Sep 30 · USGS 11455095 |
4,930 cfs | · | · | 7.70 ft | · | 5 ft |
|
Sacramento River A Rio Vista Ca CA
Oct 4, 1:30 AM · USGS 11455420 |
115,000 cfs | 130% | · | 16.03 ft | · | 2 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.
Paddle runs on the Sacramento River
7 of 7 runs are in range right now. Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paynes Creek Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | III |
| Paynes Creek Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | · |
| Sacramento River Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | · |
| Sacramento River Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | II |
| Sacramento River Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | II |
| Sacramento River Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Sacramento River Gauge: Red Bluff Ca |
In range | 6,180 cfs | 3,378–18,219 cfs typical | III–IV |
Dams & reservoirs on the Sacramento River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
Sacramento River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is a 445-mile-long river that flows through Northern California, starting from the Klamath Mountains and ending at the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It has played a significant role in California's history, serving as a major transportation route during the Gold Rush era. The river's hydrology is heavily influenced by snowmelt and rainfall, with several dams and reservoirs built for flood control and water storage purposes. These include the Shasta Dam, which forms the largest reservoir in California. The river also provides water for agricultural purposes in the Sacramento Valley, known for its rice fields and orchards. Recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping are popular along the river, with several parks and wildlife refuges located along its banks.
Fishing near the Sacramento River
About the Sacramento River
How is the Sacramento River flowing right now?
As of October 4, 2026, the Sacramento River is flowing at 115,000 cfs, CA, about 130% of normal for the date. Across its 12 USGS gauges, current flows range from 205 to 115,000 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Sacramento River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Sacramento River is at 93% 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.
What is flood stage on the Sacramento River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Red Bluff Ca (27.0 ft), Sacramento River A Colusa Ca (70.0 ft), Grimes Ca (52.7 ft), Sacramento River A Verona Ca (41.3 ft), . The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the Sacramento River runnable for paddling today?
7 of 7 paddle runs are in range right now. Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
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.