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2008 Water Levels for the South, Middle and North Forks of the American River
The South Fork and Middle Fork of the American are both dam-regulated, so the accumulated snowmelt in the reservoirs will allow us to kick off the rafting season as early as April and keep boating through October. The North Fork of the American is one of the few un-dammed rivers remaining in California, so its flows depend entirely on the rate of snowmelt. For two brief but exhilarating months in April and May, we get to enjoy rafting this wild river during the height of the wildflower bloom. To learn more about the best water levels for boating, read on. About Flows in General One of the most important sources of street/river cred for a raft guide is the ability to hook his thumbs in the lapels of his PFD (not “life jacket,” thank you very much!), cast a glance toward the river before a trip, and say something along the lines of: “Yup, looks like it’s running at about 1500 cfs.” To the uninitiated boater, it may seem like those bug-eyed, duct-taped sunglasses have given the river guide mysterious powers. As he fixes the river with his steely gaze, however, the guide is simply estimating how many cubic feet of water are flowing past him during any given second. Hence the abbreviation cfs, or cubic feet per second. “Good” water depends on what river you are running. For the South Fork of the American, a standard flow is between 1200-1750 cfs. At this water level, the Class II-III rapids are fun and exciting for both the beginner and the experienced rafter, and usually no wetsuits are required unless the weather’s chilly. As the water rises, the rapids change; certain features get washed out and other rapids get bigger. 1750-3000 cfs is a medium water level for the South Fork, and is slightly more challenging. 3000-5000 is considered high water—at these levels, we begin to consider the river Class III +, and may require wetsuits or make special provisions for weaker paddlers. Beyond 5000 cfs, the South Fork is considered a Class IV river. As such, more experience and fitness may be required to run it safely. The chart below indicates real time flows on the South Fork as provided by the State of California. On the Middle Fork of the American, normal flows are between 850 and 1000 cfs. 1000-1700 cfs is in the middle range, and 1700 and above is considered high water. This year, we expect a consistent flow of 1100 cfs beginning in May and continuing through October: exciting news for those of us who crave the Class IV/V adrenaline rush all summer! The chart below indicates real time flows on the Middle Fork as provided by the State of California. As mentioned before, the North Fork of the American is free flowing. Depending on weather and the snow pack, we can safely run from 600 to about 3000 cfs. The 2008 snow pack is sitting pretty on the Sierras as we speak. As the days get warmer, it’s going to drip, trickle, rush, and roar down the mountainsides to meet us in the foothills. So come grab a paddle—let’s go boating! Go to our California river trips page for information on all of our rafting trips.
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LOCATION
Our riverside camping resort is on the South Fork American River between SF and Lake Tahoe, less than 1 h from midtown Sacramento. 
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As
the 2008 whitewater rafting season approaches, we have good news about water
levels on the South, Middle and North Forks of the American. The Sierra Nevada
snow pack is right where it should be, at 96% of normal, and there is still
time for more snow. This means we can confidently predict good flows on our
favorite rivers. 
