Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Riverable data, telemetry, and river safety.
How often is river flow data updated?
Streamflow discharge (CFS) and gauge height are updated every 15 to 60 minutes directly from active USGS instantaneous monitoring stations.
What is CFS and how do I interpret it?
CFS stands for Cubic Feet per Second (1 CFS ≈ 7.48 gallons/sec or roughly 4 basketballs of water). 150–500 CFS is typical for lazy tubing, 250–1,200 CFS provides steady current for kayaks and canoes, and 1,500+ CFS creates swift river conditions.
How does the Floatability Score work?
Our Floatability Engine (1–10) compares instantaneous discharge against craft-specific sweet-spot flow thresholds, applying deductions for cold water, air chill, high winds, and active precipitation risks.
Can I embed Riverable on my kayak shop or rental website?
Yes! We offer 100% free embeddable river flow badges. Visit our Widgets page to generate iframe snippets for any gauged river in the US.
How do I report a river hazard or reach discrepancy?
You can email our hydrology and editorial team directly at [email protected] with condition updates, outfitter inquiries, or corrections.