Desolation Canyon Flow Profile
Seasonal flow profile for Desolation Canyon on the Green River — optimal CFS windows, spring runoff timing, and low-water considerations for the canyon.
River section: Desolation Canyon
Flow Conditions
Mellow flatwater sections become shallow. Some dragging.
Classic desert float. Consistent current, engaging rapids.
Fast and pushy. Campsite availability changes. Great for experienced crews.
Seasonality
Most commonly boated from spring through fall, with late spring and early summer often offering the classic medium-to-high-water Deso character.
- Spring
- cold water, cold nights, wind, storm cells, rapidly changing weather, snowmelt-swollen current
- Summer
- extreme heat, sun exposure, dehydration, insects, hot sand and exposed camps
- Fall
- cold mornings, shorter daylight, cooler water, lower flows exposing more rocks
Live Gauge Data
Green River at Ouray, UT
USGS gauge on the Green at Ouray — the last gauge above the Sand Wash put-in, and Desolation Canyon's primary for that reason. It sits above the Duchesne and White confluences, so the canyon runs somewhat above what Ouray reads; the town gauge at Green River sits below the take-out and the Price River, so it reads higher still. Nothing is gauged in between.
USGS #09272400Current flow — Green River at Ouray, UT
USGSGreen River at Green River, UT
Long-running reference gauge on the lower Green River at the town of Green River, Utah — below the Desolation–Gray run and the Price River confluence.
USGS #09315000