River Report

Yellow River river

11 streamgauges 114% of normal Last updated 2026-05-26
Aggregate flow
6,050cfs
% of normal
114%
Daily volume
11,999AF
Seasonal avg
5,288cfs

Total streamflow across the Yellow River was last observed at 6,050 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 11,999 acre-ft of water today; about 114% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 5,288 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2020-09-18 when daily discharge volume was observed at 68,265 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Yellow River Nr Milton reporting a streamflow rate of 1,320 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Yellow River Nr Oak Grove with a gauge stage of 82.89 ft. This river is monitored from 11 different streamgauging stations along the Yellow River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,024 ft, the Yellow River At Babcock.

Max discharge

Yellow River Nr Milton

1,320cfs
Highest stage

Yellow River Nr Oak Grove

82.89ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Yellow River At Babcock

1,024ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Yellow 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 Yellow River

All 11 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)
Yellow River At Babcock WI
USGS 05402000
49 2.40 -5.3 40% 2 8,060 1,024
Yellow River At Necedah WI
USGS 05403000
225 9.90 -6.3 49% 7 21,800 907
Yellow River At Plymouth IN
USGS 05516500
183 5.18 -3.7 103% 10 5,600 781
Yellow River At Ga 124 GA
USGS 02207120
548 4.59 121.0 360% 20 6,650 727
Yellow River At Pleasant Hill Rd GA
USGS 02207220
639 3.51 167.4 324% 19 8,000 704
Yellow River At Knox IN
USGS 05517000
316 5.41 -2.2 98% 68 5,200 694
Yellow River At Ion IA
USGS 05389000
225 6.25 -4.7 87% 12 11,000 681
Yellow River At Gees Mill Road GA
USGS 02207335
787 3.80 164.1 312% 28 8,720 657
Yellow River Nr Oak Grove FL
USGS 02367900
820 82.89 114.1 171% 91 19,500 85
Yellow River At Milligan FL
USGS 02368000
938 3.29 137.5 134% 104 24,100 51
Yellow River Nr Milton FL
USGS 02369600
1,320 37.93 29.4 68% 13 8,710 3
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

Yellow River

The Yellow River, also known as the Huang He, is the second-longest river in China, stretching over 5,464 km. It has played a significant role in Chinese history, often referred to as the "cradle of Chinese civilization." The river is renowned for its yellow color, caused by the high levels of silt and sediment in the water. However, this sedimentation has also caused devastating floods throughout history. To mitigate this, China has constructed several dams and reservoirs, including the Xiaolangdi Dam and the Sanmenxia Dam. These structures provide hydroelectric power and aid in flood control. Additionally, the river is a crucial source of irrigation for agriculture, supporting millions of people who live along its banks. Recreational activities, such as boating and fishing, are also popular in the Yellow River.

Track the Yellow 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 Yellow River

Where does the data for the Yellow 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.