From Wild River Outfitters, based in Grantsburg, Wisconsin:
The physical river level gauge at Highway 70 this morning (Wednesday, June 26) is 7’8″. And the river has crested in this area and is now dropping. The physical gauge at Highway 70 usually reads about one (1) foot lower than the on-line gauge at Norway Point.
We consider “normal” at Highway 70 to be 3.5′ – 4′. Levels above 4′ provide excellent and fun paddling with paddlers able to go through the Kettle River Slough below Nelson’s Landing and in front of the cliff face at Sand Rock Cliffs.
But when levels are above 7′, there are usually 2.5′ – 3′ unavoidable haystack standing waves at the confluence of the Kettle River with the main channel of the St. Croix. These waves can and have swamped canoes. We suggest this level to only experienced canoeists or kayakers. When the river is above 7′ at the hwy 70 bridge, we can put people in the river below the rapids at Soderbeck Ferry Landing where it’s all flat (but at that river level, fast) water and then pick them up downstream from the hwy 70 bridge.
We’re expecting the river to be below 7′ by this weekend which means excellent and much fun paddling.
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