Calgary 05BH004
Reading the latest value from Water Survey of Canada…
Shaded band: the middle half of the month's daily means in the agency's archive.
Live readings are provisional: the agency publishes them before checking them and can revise them. CanoeMap shows the agency's numbers as published. See this gauge at the agency
Latest value at each gauge
Typical level and flow by month
Calgary 05BH004
Flow is typically highest in June (185 m³/s) and lowest in January (51.5 m³/s). Level is typically highest in June (1.56 m) and lowest in November (0.89 m).
| Month | Typical flow (m³/s) | Middle half of days | Typical level (m) | Middle half of days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51.5 | 43.7 – 58.9 | 1.27 | 0.95 – 1.45 |
| February | 53.5 | 44.0 – 58.2 | 1.29 | 1.22 – 1.39 |
| March | 52.5 | 46.7 – 58.5 | 1.17 | 0.95 – 1.27 |
| April | 59.0 | 53.5 – 67.4 | 1.05 | 0.95 – 1.15 |
| May | 87.0 | 65.8 – 123 | 1.25 | 1.12 – 1.41 |
| June | 185 | 137 – 242 | 1.56 | 1.42 – 1.76 |
| July | 152 | 114 – 195 | 1.48 | 1.32 – 1.59 |
| August | 98.0 | 82.5 – 111 | 1.21 | 1.11 – 1.26 |
| September | 71.5 | 61.8 – 88.6 | 1.02 | 0.98 – 1.08 |
| October | 60.4 | 51.9 – 70.7 | 0.93 | 0.84 – 1.03 |
| November | 54.4 | 47.6 – 62.8 | 0.89 | 0.80 – 0.96 |
| December | 52.4 | 44.0 – 59.7 | 0.95 | 0.87 – 1.05 |
Flow: median of daily means, 30 complete years from 1996 to 2025. Level: median of daily means, 10 complete years from 2016 to 2025.
Banff 05BB001
Flow is typically highest in June (115 m³/s) and lowest in March (8.17 m³/s). Level is typically highest in June (2.70 m) and lowest in March (1.78 m).
| Month | Typical flow (m³/s) | Middle half of days | Typical level (m) | Middle half of days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.37 | 8.55 – 10.4 | 1.85 | 1.81 – 1.88 |
| February | 8.32 | 7.59 – 9.20 | 1.82 | 1.78 – 1.87 |
| March | 8.17 | 7.40 – 8.89 | 1.78 | 1.77 – 1.82 |
| April | 9.30 | 8.45 – 10.7 | 1.80 | 1.77 – 1.83 |
| May | 37.4 | 17.0 – 68.4 | 2.31 | 2.06 – 2.51 |
| June | 115 | 88.5 – 148 | 2.70 | 2.56 – 2.88 |
| July | 90.0 | 71.5 – 118 | 2.59 | 2.49 – 2.71 |
| August | 53.9 | 45.4 – 63.1 | 2.39 | 2.32 – 2.43 |
| September | 35.0 | 29.6 – 41.9 | 2.22 | 2.16 – 2.28 |
| October | 22.1 | 18.4 – 28.1 | 2.05 | 1.99 – 2.13 |
| November | 14.0 | 11.7 – 17.0 | 1.93 | 1.89 – 1.98 |
| December | 10.9 | 9.34 – 12.3 | 1.87 | 1.83 – 1.90 |
Flow: median of daily means, 30 complete years from 1996 to 2025. Level: median of daily means, 10 complete years from 2016 to 2025.
When does the spring peak come?
Computed from the agency's published daily means: for each year, the highest day between March 1 and July 31.
Calgary (05BH004): over 30 complete years from 1996 to 2025, the highest daily flow between March and July came around June 20 (the median date). In 16 of those 30 years it came between June 11 and June 27. The median peak was 284 m³/s; the highest in the period, 1,750 m³/s, came on June 21, 2013.
Banff (05BB001): over 30 complete years from 1996 to 2025, the highest daily flow between March and July came around June 10 (the median date). In 17 of those 30 years it came between June 4 and June 23. The median peak was 175 m³/s; the highest in the period, 466 m³/s, came on June 21, 2013.
About the gauges
Calgary
- Station number
- 05BH004
- Official name
- BOW RIVER AT CALGARY
- Agency
- Water Survey of Canada
- Drainage area
- 7,874 km²
- Level datum
- ASSUMED DATUM
Banff
- Station number
- 05BB001
- Official name
- BOW RIVER AT BANFF
- Agency
- Water Survey of Canada
- Drainage area
- 2,210 km²
- Level datum
- ASSUMED DATUM
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Canoe routes on the Bow River
Questions
What is the Bow River water level today?
The reading at the top of this page comes from Water Survey of Canada each time the page loads, for gauge 05BH004 (Calgary). The table of typical values shows whether the reading is high or low for the season.
When does the Bow River peak in spring?
Calgary (05BH004): over 30 complete years from 1996 to 2025, the highest daily flow between March and July came around June 20 (the median date). In 16 of those 30 years it came between June 11 and June 27. The median peak was 284 m³/s; the highest in the period, 1,750 m³/s, came on June 21, 2013.
Data source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (real-time readings and the HYDAT archive), end-use licence. CanoeMap computes the typical values and the peak dates from those archives.