St. Croix National Scenic Riverway was established to preserve the outstanding natural and scenic resources and to provide for outdoor recreation. The St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers are known for their quiet water canoeing. To help you plan a canoe trip, descriptions of how water levels affect different river stretches are provided below. Average speed while paddling is 3 miles per hour, so a slow leisurely day trip would average 15 miles per day.  The river sections are described north to south, with the Namekagon first.

Namekagon River:
Low water levels may affect the upper Namekagon during the summer making navigation more of a challenge. The result can be shallow stretches that require exiting the canoe and walking through short stretches of rocky riffles. The closer you are to the river headwaters, the more dependent on local rainfall the river levels are. (This is due to less surface area runoff within the watershed which contributes to the stream flow in the upper part of both rivers.) In general, conditions are best on the upper sections of each river during May and June. There are automated and manual gauges in this stretch. Park staff will update readings weekly from the manual gauge.  During the summer of 2011 the park is keeping a blog page: Namekagon Meanderings to add some details to the numbers provided by the river levels , the 2010 blog can also be seen.  Read more...

Namekagon Dam to Hayward Lake
Numerous beaver dams are located across the river between Namekagon Dam and County M.

Namekagon Dam Gauge: Reading  1.19 Updated: 9/8/11 
Interpretation of gauge readings:

Depth in Feet     Canoe and Kayaking Conditions  

Below 1.5          Conditions are challenging. Numerous shallow rocky stretches may require walking for short distances. Beaver dams require carryovers.

1.5 - 2.0            Conditions are good. Rocky bottom provides small riffles that may require quick steering maneuvers. For your safety, beaver dams require carry over.

Above 2.0          Conditions are excellent. Swift water through narrow rocky stretches challenges steering skills. Beaver dams require carryover. Swift water, sheer drop, and unknown hazards in water below beaver dams suggest caution.

Cable Gauge:

A gauge on the Namekagon was reactivated near Cable with financial assistance from the National Park Service. There currently is no known correlation between readings and river conditions. The gauge does indicate if current levels are above or below the average. Keep in mind that water is normally higher in spring and is lower during the summer. Water levels are normally adequate on this stretch.

Web Site:http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/uv/?site_no=05331833&


Hayward DNR Landing to Confluence with St. Croix:

Water levels are usually adequate during paddling season with normal rainfall providing good canoeing conditions.

St. Croix River:  From narrow and shallow to wide and deep different stretches can provide very different experiences.  Look for the type of river you want or try it all!  Rangers will be blogging about the river levels and experiences they have while out on the river, give them a look at St. Croix Currents.  If you are looking for trends rather then current conditions the following site maybe of assistance, specifically in times of highwater. NOAA provides information on the hydrologic conditions of the St. Croix River.  Please refer to this site for the latest high water conditions. Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service


The St. Croix River above Riverside Landing:

Low water levels may affect the upper St Croix during the summer making navigation more of a challenge. The result can be shallow stretches that require exiting the canoe and walking through short stretches of rocky riffles. The closer you are to the river headwaters, the more dependent on local rainfall the river levels are. (This is due to less surface area runoff within the watershed which contributes to the stream flow in the upper part of both rivers.) In general, conditions are best on the upper sections of each river during May and June. There are no automated gauges in this stretch. Park staff will update readings weekly.

Gordon Dam to CCC Bridge:

High water creates challenging rapids at Scotts Bridge, Coppermine and Big Fish Trap.  Low water conditions may require wading.

County Road T Bridge Gauge: Reading:  .65 Updated: 9/6/11 
Interpretation of gauge readings

• Depth in Feet   Canoe and Kayaking Conditions
• Below 1.0       Conditions are challenging. Shallow swift water and numerous rocks make maneuvering canoes especially difficult. Short portions may require walking due to obstacles.
• 1.0 - 1.6         Conditions are good with a portage of Coppermine Dam recommended due to remains of logging dam in river.
• Above 1.6      Conditions are excellent with potential for Class II rapids at Big Fishtrap. Portage of Coppermine Dam recommended due to remains of logging dam.

CCC Bridge to Riverside:

Water levels are usually adequate during paddling season with normal rainfall providing good canoeing conditions.

Call the Namekagon Visitor Center 715-635-8346 for more information.

RIVERSIDE TO NEVERS DAM:

There is an automated gauge at Danbury and at Norway Point operated by the US Army Corp of Engineers. There are two separate web sites that you can access to get current readings from the gauges for this stretch of the river. Below you will find what conditions for canoeing will exist based on  the different readings you get at Norway Point. We continue to look for feedback on our interpretation of the canoeing conditions based on the gauging station's river levels. Please provide feedback by e-mail

Danbury Web site:http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/uv?05333500

Norway Web Site:http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/WaterControl/stationinfo2.cfm?sid=GTBW3&fid=GTBW3&dt=S

Interpretation of gauge readings:

Depth in Feet    Canoe and Kayaking Conditions 

• Below 4.4:        Conditions are challenging. Avoid Kettle River Slough Channel - stay on Wisconsin side. Too shallow for small motors above Paint Mine Campsite. Canoeing from Riverside Landing to Nelson's Landing is good. Nelson's Landing to Soderbeck Landing is challenging with many exposed obstacles. Some walking may be required.
  4.4-8:               Conditions are good with Class II rapids between Nelsons Landing and Soderbeck Landing.
• 8-10:                Conditions are excellent with Class II rapids between Nelsons Landing and Soderbeck Landing.
• 10-12:               Rapids between Nelson Landing and Soderbeck Landing are approaching Class III conditions. This is considered flood stage, and some landings will be flooded.
• 12 feet & up        Expect Class III rapids between Nelsons Landing and Soderbeck Landing, especially  at the confluence of the Kettle River.

NEVERS DAM TO APPLE RIVER

There is a gauging station in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin that measures the river flow in cubic feet per second. There is a web site that you can access to get current readings from the gauge. Below you will find what conditions for canoeing will exist at the different readings. We continue to look for feedback on our interpretation of the canoeing conditions based on the gauging station's river levels. Please provide feedback by e-mail.

Web site:http://wi.waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/uv/?site_no=05340500& 

Interpretation of gauge readings:

• Flow in Cubic Feet   Canoe and Kayaking Conditions
• 
  

3000                      Low water-typical of extreme low conditions. Canoeing is good, but restricted to the main channel. Powerboat use is difficult and only for those who know the river. Lots of sandbars exposed for beaching/camping.

• 
  
• 5000-5500              Typical summer levels. Canoeing is good to excellent. Side or back channels are usually passable but may require some dragging over low spots. Power boating is restricted to the main channel and still requires some knowledge of the St. Croix. Lots of Sandbars available for beaching.
• 6500                      Canoeing is excellent, with all back channels floatable. Power boating is good with access to some back channels. Sandbars available, but disappearing.
  8000-11000            Canoeing and boating are excellent. All back channels are accessible. Sandbars are difficult to find.
  Over 11000             High water typical of spring run-off or summer flooding. Usually the water is fast with lots of debris. Sandbars are non-existent.
• 
  

Note: Release of water from the hydroelectric dam at St. Croix Falls can and does raise water levels at Osceola by 1' to 2'. This can turn low water conditions into good or excellent conditions for a few hours. Typically, the dam is operated so that water levels rise beginning at about 9:00 am during the week. Weekend hours are less predictable.

AppleRiver to the Rivers Mouth at Prescott :

Individuals can monitor river levels at the Stillwater gauge by calling 651-290-5861 to hear a recording of river levels in the metro area or at  http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/WaterControl/stationinfo2.cfm?sid=STLM5&fid=STLM5&dt=S  This stretch of the river does not see much change in water levels.

Feet in Elevation     Conditions

• 675-676'                This is the normal pool for the river, Stillwater south. Conditions are typical with good boating.
  680'                       High water, most island shorelines will be flooded, camping is very limited.
  683' & higher          The St. Croix is considered to be in flood. A no wake rule automatically goes into effect requiring that boats be operated at the lowest possible speed necessary to maintain steerage. Some boat launch sites may be underwater.

This last gauge is at Prescott and can be impacted by the Mississippi:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mn/nwis/uv/?site_no=05344490&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060