A great river adventure requires good planning. Thunderstorms are frequent and sudden in the summer months and a downpour can ruin an otherwise enjoyable outing.

Flash floods are a risk at all times of the year. While in the area, listen to local radio stations for the latest weather. In general, the National Park Service will close the river to canoeing and boating when the river level reaches two feet above normal.

In flood conditions, the river runs faster, carries debris and is very treacherous. On land, flooding can make road crossings dangerous as well, never drive across a flooded roadway! Most flooding deaths occur in cars that are swept away.

Remember, you are responsible for your own safety. Proper planning and alertness to your surroundings should keep the weather where it belongs - as a topic of conversation, not a cause of harm.

 Reading the river levels.

 The links on the above right lead to automated river level stations in several  areas of the park. They will usually show two graphs:

Gage Height: How far above normal ("datum") the river is. Compare the "flood" level cited to the right with the river level on the graphs (click river area of interest) to find if the river is up. If the river is at flood level, it is likley to be closed to boating. If it is at "Flood Level" or is rising toward it, dangerous conditions either exist or are likely.

Discharge: This is the volume of water moving past a certain point. In general, the larger the volume, the faster water is moving downstream.