Kayak Love

Ohio · river

Scioto River at 5Th Ave at Columbus

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

100

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:15:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:38:40 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Scioto River at 5Th Ave at Columbus
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Bulbous icicles hang from a branch over the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio on February 5th, 2022.jpg by Matthew.kowal, CC BY-SA 4.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

2 mph

gusting to 3 mph

Air temp

61°F

0% chance of rain

River flow

406 cfs

high for this date

Weather outlook

Tuesday · 100

  • Tue

    100

    Best

  • Wed

    100

  • Thu

    84

  • Fri

    47

  • Sat

    81

  • Sun

    91

  • Mon

    82

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
10a24
11a13
12p35
1p24
2p35
3p33
4p22
5p56
6p68
7p48
8p49
9p49

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 406 cfs is 196% above the median for this date — which counts as high water here.

The median flow on this date is 137 cfs, across 10 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 2 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

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