Youghiogheny River (Upper Yough, Friendsville)
The Upper Yough is the whitewater reach of the Youghiogheny River below Deep Creek Reservoir, near Friendsville in Garrett County, Maryland. It suits paddlers who want scheduled Class IV/V whitewater releases. Under a 2007 permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment, releases are set on a schedule, with whitewater releases on ten summer Saturdays. Check before you go, because the sources do not list the 2026 dates.
Should you go to Youghiogheny River (Upper Yough, Friendsville) today?
Good day to go
- Light wind, up to 5 mph.
- Dry daytime forecast.
- Tue 20Light wind, up to 3 mph
- Wed 21Light wind, up to 2 mph
- Thu 22Light wind, up to 5 mph
- Fri 23Light wind, up to 5 mph
- Sat 24Cool for the water, up to 60°F
Weather at Youghiogheny River (Upper Yough, Friendsville), today
| Time | Sky | Temp | Wind | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 am | Sunny | 35°F | 0 mph | 0% |
| 10 am | Sunny | 51°F | 0 mph | 0% |
| 12 pm | Sunny | 62°F | NE 2 mph | 0% |
| 2 pm | Sunny | 65°F | N 3 mph | 0% |
| 4 pm | Sunny | 65°F | N 3 mph | 0% |
| 6 pm | Clear | 60°F | N 1 mph | 0% |
River right now
| Water temperature | 11.5 °C (53°F), Mon 1:45 am |
|---|---|
| Flow | 363 cfs, Mon 1:45 am |
| Gage height | 2.82 ft, Mon 1:45 am |
Daylight
| Sunrise | 7:31 am |
|---|---|
| Sunset | 6:33 pm |
| Question visitors ask | When are the Upper Yough dam releases? |
|---|---|
| County | Garrett County |
When are the Upper Yough dam releases?
A new permit issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment in April 2007 set a new release schedule for the Upper Youghiogheny River from Deep Creek Reservoir. Under that permit, there are whitewater releases on ten summer Saturdays. Before the permit, whitewater releases generally occurred only on Fridays, Mondays, and the first Saturday of every month.
The sources reviewed do not list the specific release dates for 2026. Check before you go, because the schedule is seasonal and the permit terms may have changed since the American Whitewater page was written.
Where can you check the river flow at the Upper Yough?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) operates a stream gauge on the Youghiogheny River at Friendsville, MD, with station number 03076500. The gauge is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The USGS page lists continuous data from 1991-10-01 to 2026-10-17, and the drainage area is 295 square miles.
The USGS page labels its real-time view as a legacy page. Use the station page to check recent readings, and confirm release times with the source that publishes the schedule.
Youghiogheny River (Upper Yough, Friendsville): questions visitors ask
When are the Upper Yough dam releases?
Under a 2007 Maryland Department of the Environment permit, the Upper Youghiogheny River has whitewater releases on ten summer Saturdays. The sources do not list the 2026 dates, so check before you go.
Where is the Upper Yough gauge?
The USGS gauge for the Youghiogheny River is at Friendsville, MD, station 03076500, in Garrett County. Its latitude is 39.6536 and its longitude is -79.4083.
Who operates the releases from Deep Creek Reservoir?
The American Whitewater page says the 2007 release permit involved Brookfield Power, which can change flow on a minute-to-minute basis for energy markets. The sources reviewed do not describe the dam's full management structure.
Which section of river do the releases cover?
American Whitewater lists the related reach as Sang Run Road to Friendsville on the Upper Yough. The releases described on the page apply to the Upper Youghiogheny River below Deep Creek Reservoir.
Do the Upper Yough releases affect fishing?
The American Whitewater page says the releases are expected to lower high water temperatures on hot summer days, which benefits coldwater fish. Anglers who prefer fishing when the dam is not releasing get more certainty about release times and several additional spring days with no scheduled releases.
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