Professor Valley — May 2023 (34,700 CFS, High Water)

A three-day May 2023 Professor Valley float at 33,800 cfs — peak-runoff big water on what's normally a placid redrock day stretch, with an Onion Creek base camp for the eight-person crew. The canyon moved fast enough that the Onion Creek to takeout beach run took under two hours.

3 days 33,800 cfs 8 people

Season spring

Launch 5-25-2023

Flow 33,800 cfs

Water 57°F avg
(USGS)

Weather 49–89°F

Takeout 5-27-2023

Conditions

34,700–32,900 CFS — extreme high water

3 days

33,800 cfs

5 ft/mi

6 photos

Day 1 5-25-2023

35,600 cfs (USGS daily mean), water 57°F | Moab, UT: 66–89°F

Day 2 5-26-2023

34,900 cfs (USGS daily mean), water 57°F | Moab, UT: 58–89°F

Day 3 5-27-2023

33,700 cfs (USGS daily mean), water 57°F | Moab, UT: 49–87°F

34,700 CFS! Took a little less than two hours to float from Onion Creek to the take-out beach.

Data

Flow: USGS Colorado near Cisco (09180500), 33,700–35,600 cfs daily mean.

Weather: Moab, UT, 49–89°F. NOAA GHCN-Daily

Explore

summer · 2,390cfs

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