What Is A Good Cfs For Kayaking?

Knowing the Cubic Feet per Second (CFS) gauge height is crucial for planning a paddle trip. It helps determine the best CFS for kayaking, which depends on the river and skill level. A good CFS is around 10 feet per second, providing a balance between speed and maneuverability.

There is no definitive CFS range that constitutes the best weather conditions for kayaking, but it is generally recommended to have a CFS of 1-3 for recreational kayaking and 3-6 for more advanced kayakers. The best CFS depends on the river and skill level, with 800-1,500 CFS being suitable for most intermediate kayakers.

The best CFS for kayaking depends on the river and skill level. For example, 50-299 CFS is perfect for beginner and experienced paddlers, allowing them to paddle without having to drag their boat for long periods. Intermediate to advanced paddlers will enjoy these water levels, but should be cautious over 600 CFS. Paddling is not recommended over 1,000 CFS.

Flows of 700 CFS to 2000 CFS are ideal for recreational outings in the Southwest, while flows above 3000 CFS are not recommended. Most rivers have a gauge telling height in feet and CFS (cubic feet per second).

To find the perfect canoe, kayak, or SUP outing, consider building strong paddling technique, training eddy turns, and rating Paddle SC trips for skill and flow levels. Check out the Water Safety section of the guidebook for more information.

In summary, knowing the CFS gauge height is essential for planning a successful paddle trip. It helps determine the best CFS for kayaking, ensuring a balance between speed and maneuverability.

What is a good CFS?

You can fish it lower and fish it higher, but optimal, stable flows are normally between 100 and 200 cfs. You can use this process to figure optimal flows for any river with a stream gauge. Once you have this info, you’re now ready to put it all together and decide what kind of fishing you should expect.

Putting it all together can sometimes be easy and sometimes be quite difficult. In general, you want the flows to be within the historical range +/- 30% while staying in the optimal range you determined.

For example, if the flows are 800cfs and are normally 775cfs for that time of year, it passes the first test, but if the optimal flows are only 100 – 200 cfs, then you’re likely in a flood or runoff situation and that can generate tough fishing. You have to use all the data together to tell the story correctly. Let’s do a couple quick examples:

As of todays date, the south platte in Deckers is at 110cfs. Historically, flows are around 130cfs. That is within 30% +/- range. When looking at the historical over a year, I can see flows stay within 100 – 200cfs, so that is in the optimal fishing range. It’s spring time here so we can expect midges and baetis to be hatching on that river and active under the water. The river is in a bit of a canyon, but there is decent room for it to expand with lots of solid rocks and stable runs, holes and riffles that stay in the same places roughly year round so it’s a pretty stable river. Given all of this data put together, we can assume flows are going to produce pretty stable fishing and should produce fishing with what is to be expected for the time of year. No crazy weather or anything recently either to make us think it would be fishing out of the normal and we can expect a normal to good day on Deckers.

What is an acceptable flow rate?

When evaluating a well’s water supply, the first test done is typically a flow rate test. The flow refers to the amount of water coming from the well and the flow rate measures the gallons per minute coming out. The average American household needs 100 to 120 gallons per person per day, and a flow rate of about 6 to 12 gallons per minute. This requirement may be higher if it serves a home housing a large family or there are large water demands.

The Water Well Board and the New Hampshire Water Well Association, a group of private professionals associated with the well water industry, both recommend a flow rate of 4 gallons per minute for a 4 hour period. That’s equivalent to 960 gallons of water flowing steadily for 4 hours. These groups agree these results will ensure optimum water supply for home use and a modest amount of outdoor use.

This amount of water may be less than is needed for some families, especially if there is significant outdoor water use, which is why well professionals may recommend a minimum flow rate of 5 gallons per minute or more.

What is the best CFS for tubing?

Between 100 and 500 CFS River water flow is measured by cubic feet per second (CFS), with flow between 100 and 500 CFS generally considered to be safe for tubing. Those looking for a more relaxing tubing experience should aim for 100 to 200 CFS on their float day.

What is a safe CFS?

Before the Float. Check the river forecast and scout the river. How fast is the water moving? The river flow is measured in the cubic feet of water per second (cfs), and you only want to get on the water when the cfs is below 700; that’s when it is safest to float. Most mountain town newspapers will print the current cfs on the front page. Typically, that means Colorado tubing season starts in late June. If you’re floating with young children, take advantage of local walking trails to scout potential rapids so you can make an informed choice on where to put in and put out. Although hot weather may make you feel like you have to hurry and float, it’s imperative that safety comes first.

Pro tip: Drive two cars to your put out spot and leave one car there. When you finish your float, there’s a car waiting for you with towels, water, and a comfortable ride home.

Tube Launch. Since you’ll hopefully be basking in warm sunshine all day, make sure you lather up with waterproof sunscreen. If you burn easily, you may want to wear a quick dry top over your bathing suit to minimize sunburn. Since you’ll encounter rocks and other debris in the river, definitely wear a pair of sturdy sandals that strap to your feet, like Chacos or Tevas. Flip-flops will fall off instantly, so don’t even bother! Remember to bring along water to hydrate during the float. A Nalgene works well because the cap is attached to the bottle. If you do bring plastic bottles or aluminum cans, those pesky tops and tabs can get lost easily, polluting the river. To eliminate any accidental pollution and keep your belongings dry, it is worth it for a member of the group to get a small waterproof bag at a local outdoor store. You can then put drinks, snacks, and extra sunscreen in the waterproof bag and use a carabiner to clip the bag to your tube for safety. Notice that we do not recommend bringing your cell phone!

What is a high CFS?

2000 – 3000 CFS = High flows. Rapids remain the same length, size of waves and drops increase. Water in calm sections moves swifter. The obstacles change from rocks and boulders to stomping hydraulics and holes. Participants should be competent swimmers, active, not overweight. Wetsuits required.

Above 3000 CFS = Very High flows. The river rarely gets to these levels. When it does, it has similar features to High flows, but everything about the rapids is bigger and faster. The water in the calm sections also moves at a swifter pace. Participants should be competent swimmers, active, not overweight. Wetsuits required.

Cal Salmon (Advanced / Class V):. The Cal Salmon is a free-flowing river and usually only runs in the spring when the winter snowpack is melting. The season typically runs from April through June, although in most years we concentrate bookings into one weekend trip in late April. Later trips are possible for large groups, depending on flows and availability.

What is the 50 90 rule in sea kayaking?

The 50/90 rule states that: We expect zero flow speed as the tidal stream changes direction (slack water) One hour later, the flow attains 50% of maximum speed. Two hours after slack water, the flow attains 90% maximum speed.

Pilots will often only give a flow speed at springs, leaving us with the factors method as the only option for estimating flow speed at other tidal ranges. When spring and neap rates are quoted, interpolation can also be used.

Another problem with pilots is that they typically only provide data on when the direction of flow changes (slack water) and what the maximum flow is. We may wish to estimate flow at other times. Two rules of thumb exist to do this – the 50/90 rule and the rule of thirds.

• We expect zero flow speed as the tidal stream changes direction (slack water)
• One hour later, the flow attains 50% of maximum speed
• Two hours after slack water, the flow attains 90% maximum speed
• Three hours after slack water, the flow speed is a maximum (100%)
• 90% at 4 hours
• 50% at 5 hours
• Slack water occurs again after 6 hours

What is the best wind speed for kayaking?

Winds & Waves. We don’t want to send you over to our Michigan neighbors – unless you’re really trying to get back home. Every day we watch the winds for both speed and direction. Generally, any wind under 10 knots (about 11.5 mph) offers safe kayaking regardless of wind direction.

Wind can be deceiving – an offshore breeze makes it difficult to paddle back – especially on a paddle board. Paddle boarding is more enjoyable at lower wind speeds with flatter waters and is dicey and really wet when wavy.

Even when wind is in the safe range, we’re still watching the waves, as gusts can increase the water choppiness. Our staff will recommend which direction to start your paddle so you have the wind at your back when you are more fatigued at the end of your paddle. When the the wind hits closer to the 12 knot mark, less experienced kayakers should play it safe and stay close to shore.

When winds start to blow between 12 knots (14 mph) to 14 knots (16 mph), wind direction can make a huge difference. Large waves make paddling difficult and more seriously, will roll your kayak. Here are preferable wind directions for each of our locations:

What is CFS in kayaking?

This stands for Cubic Feet (per) Second. CFS equates to the volume of water moving downriver in a unit of measurement. The river’s width and depth, as well as elevation contours which aid the movement of the water are used to calculate an average volume. Since each river has unique measurements, they will have a personalized CFS.

This is how deep the water is at a centralized metered location. The data reflects the point at the data collection area. This snapshot of data doesn’t reflect the entire river stretch – as there may be points along the way which may be deeper, or shallower.

As many of us have experienced, each river adventure is different – and have diverse features throughout its route. The flow of water throughout the year does change. There are many factors which lead to these changes: rainfall, drought, downed trees, dam releases, or flooding, just to name a few. Low water may lead to scraping the hull or walking your kayak. This will make the length of time on the water longer, and more paddling is needed to reach your destination. Higher water levels may result in faster current, flooding and energetic waters (rapids, riffles, etc.) and possible increase hazards (strainers, debris, downed trees). Launching and landing areas may be more difficult to navigate as your access points may be altered.

What wind guide for kayaking?

Now as a general rule. Anything more than 15 to 20 tops miles per hour any wind more than that it’s just it’s too much for kayaking. The the the the the Seas.

How fast is 1000 cfs?

Streamflow is measured in the U.S in cubic feet per second (cfs). One cubic foot of water is 7.48 gallons of water. A gallon of water weighs 8.35 pounds. So, one cubic foot of water weighs over 62 pounds. From the above example, a flow of 1,000cfs means over 62,000 pounds of water is flowing downstream every second!

Information on flows in cubic feet per second can be found online at the U.S Geological Survey or on a website dedicated to streamflow such as H2OLine. Sometimes flows are posted at the sites of dams and popular put-in sites for river recreation.

On a river where river rafting guides use a foot stage for measurement, things need an extra calculation. Stream stage measured in feet is the height of the water surface above an established altitude where the stage is set at zero. The zero level is somewhat arbitrary but often is set close to the streambed. Visual foot gages can be found on many rivers where recreation is popular. On many trips a guide will float near a visual gage such as the one seen below to check out the flow that day. Knowledgeable river guides can then make adjustments to their plans for running rapids based on this knowledge.