Kicking Horse River Water Level

This page is designed to provide paddlers with up-to-date water levels on the Kicking Horse River. We will regularly describe the current water level as measured on the gauge below the north end of the Hwy. 95 bridge in town. For reference photos to help you find the gauge, scroll to the photos below. Note the parking available right beside the bridge's north end. Traditional optimal levels are between 79 and 81 (while recognizing variability based on skill and experience). The gauge starts at 79, but paddling can begin well below that. Commercial rafting operations cease operations in the Lower Canyon for safety reasons at about 80.

If you want more precise hyrdometric data, visit http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/fullgraph.asp. Click through to Kicking Horse River - Golden. You need to change the parameter on the top of the graph from raw water level to Discharge. Then you get the CMS. Unscientifically, 81 is somewhere between 140 - 180 cms. 78.5 is approx. 50-55cms. One theory for the discrepancy is that the gravel on bottom of the river at the bridge is in a constant flux between being scoured, and then re-deposited.

Kicking Horse River, Golden, BC
Phone:
Fax: Google map shows the location of the gauge