Winnebago River — Fertile to Mason City: River Level Today — Can You Paddle It?
Verdict · updated Aug 27, 7:30 PM UTC
Too low to paddle
Not enough water to float well — expect scraping and walking. Wait for rain or a dam release.
Estimated range
84 cfs
4.6 ft gauge height
USGS gauge 05459500
Runnable 100 – 1,500 cfs
What this means today
At 84 cfs the Winnebago River is 16 cfs short of the 100 cfs this reach needs to float — that is the gap between today's reading and the bottom of the runnable range, not a small margin you can paddle through.
Over the last 24 hours it has barely moved, 85 cfs to 84 cfs. Daily means over the past 7 days have run between 86 cfs and 126 cfs, 32% lower at the end of the week than the start.
Paddling Fertile to Mason City
Winnebago River at Fertile to Mason City is a 13-mile Class I run in Iowa — easygoing moving water with light riffles and nothing technical. Most paddlers put in at Fertile and take out at Mason City, a trip that runs about 5 hours at a relaxed pace.
Whether it's worth the drive comes down to flow. This section generally paddles well at 100–1,500 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Much below that and the Winnebago River gets low and bony, so you end up scraping gravel and walking the shallows; well above the top of the range it turns fast, cold and pushy, which is a more serious day than most casual boaters want. We read USGS gauge 05459500 about every 30 minutes and compare the live number to that window, so the verdict at the top of this page reflects conditions right now rather than a monthly average.
Flows here are usually most dependable May–September. Spring can run high after rain or snowmelt, and late summer often drops too low to float well — but the gauge always beats the calendar, so check today's reading before you go.
7-day flow trend
Section facts
- Difficulty
- Class I
- Length
- 13 mi
- Float time
- ~5 hr
- Best months
- May–September
- Put-in
- Fertile
- Take-out
- Mason City
Reading USGS gauge 05459500 — Winnebago River at Mason City, IA ↗ · runnable range is an estimate (see methodology)
FAQ
- What water level is good for paddling Winnebago River — Fertile to Mason City?
- This section is generally runnable at 100–1,500 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Below that it gets too low and bony; well above the top of the range it becomes pushy and then dangerous. We compare the live USGS reading to that range to produce today's verdict.
- How do I check Winnebago River levels?
- We read USGS gauge 05459500 — the same public data USGS publishes — about every 30 minutes and compare it to the runnable range for this reach. You can also view the raw gauge yourself at waterdata.usgs.gov.
- Is Winnebago River — Fertile to Mason City good for beginners?
- This section is rated Class I. At good levels it suits confident beginners and up, but it can have riffles or small rapids. Scout anything you can't see, and stay off it at high water.
- When is the best time to paddle Winnebago River here?
- Typically May–September, when flows are most reliable for this section. Spring can run high after rain or snowmelt; late summer can drop too low. Always check today's gauge reading rather than assuming.
- How long does it take to float Winnebago River — Fertile to Mason City?
- This reach is about 13 miles, roughly 5 hours at a relaxed pace. Higher water is faster; low water and headwinds are slower. Add time for stops.