Elk River — Tims Ford Tailwater to Fayetteville: River Level Today — Can You Paddle It?
Verdict · updated Aug 24, 3:15 AM UTC
Good to paddle
Levels are within the typical runnable range for this section.
Estimated range
262 cfs
1.5 ft gauge height
USGS gauge 03582000
Runnable 100 – 3,000 cfs
What this means today
At 262 cfs the Elk River is inside the runnable range but only 162 cfs above the 100 cfs floor, so it is sitting at the shallow end of what this reach runs at. A dry few days would take it under.
Over the last 24 hours it has gone from 288 cfs to 262 cfs, 9% down. Daily means over the past 7 days have run between 261 cfs and 349 cfs, ending roughly where it started.
Paddling Tims Ford Tailwater to Fayetteville
Elk River at Tims Ford Tailwater to Fayetteville is a Class I run in Tennessee — easygoing moving water with light riffles and nothing technical. Most paddlers put in at Tims Ford Dam tailwater access and take out at Fayetteville river access.
Whether it's worth the drive comes down to flow. This section generally paddles well at 100–3,000 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Much below that and the Elk River gets low and bony, so you end up scraping gravel and walking the shallows; well above the top of the range it turns fast, cold and pushy, which is a more serious day than most casual boaters want. We read USGS gauge 03582000 about every 30 minutes and compare the live number to that window, so the verdict at the top of this page reflects conditions right now rather than a monthly average.
Flows here are usually most dependable May–October. Spring can run high after rain or snowmelt, and late summer often drops too low to float well — but the gauge always beats the calendar, so check today's reading before you go.
7-day flow trend
Section facts
- Difficulty
- Class I
- Length
- —
- Float time
- —
- Best months
- May–October
- Put-in
- Tims Ford Dam tailwater access
- Take-out
- Fayetteville river access
Reading USGS gauge 03582000 — ELK RIVER ABOVE FAYETTEVILLE, TN ↗ · runnable range is an estimate (see methodology)
FAQ
- What water level is good for paddling Elk River — Tims Ford Tailwater to Fayetteville?
- This section is generally runnable at 100–3,000 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Below that it gets too low and bony; well above the top of the range it becomes pushy and then dangerous. We compare the live USGS reading to that range to produce today's verdict.
- How do I check Elk River levels?
- We read USGS gauge 03582000 — the same public data USGS publishes — about every 30 minutes and compare it to the runnable range for this reach. You can also view the raw gauge yourself at waterdata.usgs.gov.
- Is Elk River — Tims Ford Tailwater to Fayetteville good for beginners?
- This section is rated Class I. At good levels it suits confident beginners and up, but it can have riffles or small rapids. Scout anything you can't see, and stay off it at high water.
- When is the best time to paddle Elk River here?
- Typically May–October, when flows are most reliable for this section. Spring can run high after rain or snowmelt; late summer can drop too low. Always check today's gauge reading rather than assuming.