Live River Conditions
Real-time flow rates from USGS. Updated every 5 minutes.
San Marcos
at San Marcos, TX
Unknown
Spring-fed · 72°F year-round
Comal
at New Braunfels, TX
Unknown
Spring-fed · 72°F year-round
Guadalupe
near Spring Branch, TX
Unknown
Data: U.S. Geological Survey real-time water data. Always confirm with your outfitter before driving. Conditions can change quickly during storms.
Quick answer
Ideal Guadalupe tubing flow is 150-300 CFS at Spring Branch. Above 500 CFS the float gets fast; above 1,500 CFS outfitters typically close. The live gauge above pulls fresh USGS data every 5 minutes.
What Is CFS?
CFS stands for cubic feet per second. One CFS is one cubic foot of water passing the gauge each second. It's the standard measure of river flow in the United States.
Ideal Flow for Tubing the Guadalupe
- 100-150 CFS: Slow but floatable. Bring a paddle.
- 150-300 CFS: Sweet spot. 3-4 hour float, mild current, good for groups.
- 300-500 CFS: Faster than usual. Float time drops to 2-3 hours.
- 500-1,500 CFS: Fast and pushy. Strong swimmers only. Many outfitters close.
- 1,500+ CFS: Dangerous. River closed to recreation.
When the River Is Too Low
Below 80 CFS the Guadalupe gets shallow enough that you'll bump bottom in spots and the float drags. If the gauge shows under 100, switch to the spring-fed San Marcos or Comal, both of which run consistent year-round.
When the River Is Too High
Above 500 CFS, exits get harder, eddies turn into hazards, and rope swings get sketchy. Read the full river safety guide and call your outfitter before driving out.
Canyon Lake Releases
The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority controls flow via Canyon Dam. Releases ramp up before busy weekends to ensure floatable levels and drop during droughts to conserve lake storage. Patterns shift year to year.