This paper provides a review of existing methods for determining paleohydraulic parameters applicable to ancient lithified fluvial strata and attempts to update these formulae using empirical re-evaluation of modern stream data. Linear regression analysis was used to produce a series of equations that can readily be applied to ancient fluvial strata. These new formulae were developed using information from >4000 modern rivers, with depth, width, and grain size, as independent variables, as these can be directly estimated with varying degrees of confidence in the ancient stratigraphic record. Existing methods of estimating paleo-depth from crossbeds may reflect thalweg depth rather than average bankfull stream depth. Dune height (Hd), when corrected for compaction, is considered equal to 2.52 ± 0.7 times the average height of trough crossbeds (Hx). Thalweg depth (dmax) is calculated as 6.5058 x Hd1.111. From this average bankfull stream depth (dbf) is calculated as 0.6095 x dmax0.973. Bankfull channel width (wbf) is then calculated as 16.293 dmax1.198 for low sinuosity rivers (P < 1.3), 17.338 dmax1.168 for intermediate sinuosity rivers (1.3