Special High Water Bulletin and Warning
For much of June and now early July, rivers have been dangerously high. There are exceptions (lakes, flowages, marshes), but generally speaking, paddlers need to stay off rivers when high. Water has a lot of mass which translates into a lot of energy when high. This excess energy can create dangerously fast current, undertows, strainers, and surprise rapids. High rivers also tend to be dirty and can contain unpleasant bacteria from farm manure and overwhelmed city wastewater systems. If you have any doubts about water levels, you can ask on this website and I’ll try to provide safe guidance. Typically I provide depth guides for each review. These are very helpful and can keep you safe if followed carefully.
Below are examples of kayak accidents that have happened so far in 2024. Most happened because the kayaker chose to paddle a river that was too high. Some were made worse by not wearing a life jacket.
- 2024-07-17 – A kayak was flipped and lost by Waubedonia Park on the Milwaukee river. If you find a light blue kayak please contact Ashley. For reference, the Milwaukee River was well above normal and despite dropping these past days is still dangerous.
- 2024-07-14 – Paddlers had a bad spill on Badfish Creek. The Badfish was well above normal. If you find this gear please contact Luke. Description:
- “This last weekend we took a bad spill in bad fish creek. We lost everything our keys and kayaks and paddles and one phone. If anyone happens to find them please reach out, we have spares for some vehicles but definitely need the set of keys. We got caught up on a tree and sucked under between old stone and old stage road but are hoping they floated down stream and could be found. We know it’s probably a low chance but wanted to throw it out there. To note what we lost 2 tan kayaks, had “Luke Kester” wrote on both 1 black and green paddle should have my initials. One set of keys on a red Milwaukee lanyard. One blue and black iPhone”
- 2024-07-07 – Four kayakers dumped by the covered bridge on the Waupaca River. This river is currently too high currently for safe paddling.
- 2024-07-06 – Three kayakers were rescued on the Fox River by the Wrightstown FD. They were not wearing life jackets and were in distress because of the fast current.
- 2024-07-05 – On the Sheboygan River between Rochester Park and Esslinger, two capsized and needed water rescue.
- 2024-07-03 – A 53 year old female on the Sugar River by Belleville had her kayak overturn and was clinging to deadfall. Rescue was successfully completed by local EMS. The Sugar was way too high for kayaking.
- 2024-07-03 – A life was lost on the Waupaca River. Note, this actually may have been more of a medical incident, but regardless the Waupaca River should not be paddled when high because of its fast current and strainers.
- 2024-07-01 – Paddlers almost got stuck trying to go under I-94 on the Pewaukee River. Video was taken of the incident. The Pewaukee is a very dangerous river to do when high because the I-94 tunnel is lower at the exit, and there are rough rapids downstream from it.
- 2024-06-07 – A kayaker overturned on the Beaver Dam River near a significant logjam by the Davis Street bridge. They self-rescued. The Beaver Dam River was way too high.
- 2024-06-02 – In three separate and “coincidental” incidents, kayakers launching from Lime Kiln Park overturned their kayaks on the Milwaukee River and had to be rescued. Another story on the accidents. The Milwaukee River is too high for paddling…especially the Grafton stretch.
- 2024-05-27 – Two kayakers overturned on the Rock River-South Branch by Waupon. Their rescue was recorded on video. The South Branch was way too high.
- 2024-05-19 – A reader comment mentioned that the Black River below Neillsville was “pretty brutal”. The river was at 752 CFS and too high for rec paddling.
- There are plenty more accidents that have occurred this year that I’m not including. Long story short…stay off rivers that are high…especially fast woody rivers. And if you absolutely must kayak a high river, wear a life jacket.
Considering Cedar Creek from covered bridge to Lion’s Park. Any reports on this stretch that we should pay attention to?.
Hi Michael. I don’t have a first hand report to share with you, but the Cedar Creek gauge currently is at 213 CFs which is very high. I advise not doing the trip until things settle down.
My buddy dumped on the crystal river unfortunately. There was a bottle neck of TUBERS, congregating by a log, clogging up the small line through. My friend had to wet exit when he got caught up on the tree/log and flipped upriver. Luckily he was ok and I retrieved his gear.
WATCH OUT FOR THEM STRAINERS AND TUBERS!! Another group started to congregate there and we advised them to move. It’s sad people can’t realize that they are blocking the line through. Maybe the land owner will put up a sign or somebody will cut the log cause the “line” was only about two tubes wide.
After that, we noticed some people emptying a kayak near a tree that looked impassable but asked them quick and said it was a go on the left. The person whose kayak was being emptied looked spooked and can only assume she had a bit of a rough situation. There was also a raft of some sort and a life jacket caught on a tree randomly. So yeah good to see the warning, I’ll try to update some comments from recent trips and observations.
Appreciate your effort.
Thanks for the update and warning.
I have a trip planned on the Kickapoo River from Ontario to La Farge. The KVR website has some updates but haven’t been on the full river.
Does anyone have any information from this week for the Kickapoo from Ontario to La Farge?
Thanks
The river will be high, but it has greatly receded from its recent spike. You should be ok, but there may be new deadfall in the river to avoid.
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=05407468&legacy=1
Is the Wisconsin River too high to be safe for beginner to intermediate Kayakers? Thanks for any information!
Hi Susan. The Wisconsin is well down from its recent highs and is at 17k and dropping which is great news. You should be able to paddle most stretches, but I do advise wearing a life jacket and staying away from shore-side strainers. Unfortunately at 17k, there will be few if any sandbars. They should start appearing next week though as the river continues to drop.
Anyone have information on condition of Little Wolf River from below Big Falls to hwy 110…worried if the rapids are running higher class than normal. Normal says class 1 & 2.
Honestly I wouldn’t trust the Little Wolf below Big Falls yet. There will be legit Class 3 rapids at this depth. Gauge is at 2.1′ and falling. Might be good in a week though!
How is the White river, near Geneva? I’ve read that both the Geneva gauge and the Nippersink gauges are the ones to use, but ‘with a grain of salt’. Nipp shows 600 CFS, which is double the high of what the posted trip report on the White mentions.
This one I’m not so sure about. Supposedly the rapids by the bridge are a bit rough now and there is actually minor whirlpool in the area. Honestly I would wait a week for it to settle down first.
Just wondering if it’s high right now after the rain or even too low to kayak at this time.
It’s still high…supposedly there are slight whirlpools by the rapids. I would give it another week to settle down.