St. Croix River — St. Croix Falls to William O'Brien: River Level Today — Can You Paddle It?
Verdict · updated Aug 24, 12:00 AM UTC
Too low to paddle
Not enough water to float well — expect scraping and walking. Wait for rain or a dam release.
1,320 cfs
2.5 ft gauge height
USGS gauge 05340500
Runnable 2,000 – 11,000 cfs
What this means today
At 1,320 cfs the St. Croix River is 680 cfs short of the 2,000 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, 1,320 cfs to 1,320 cfs. Daily means over the past 7 days have run between 1,230 cfs and 1,360 cfs, ending roughly where it started.
Paddling St. Croix Falls to William O'Brien
St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls to William O'Brien is a Class I run in Minnesota — easygoing moving water with light riffles and nothing technical. Most paddlers put in at Taylors Falls / St. Croix Falls landing and take out at William O'Brien State Park.
Whether it's worth the drive comes down to flow. This section generally paddles well at 2,000–11,000 cfs. Much below that and the St. Croix 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 05340500 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 April–October. 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
- —
- Float time
- —
- Best months
- April–October
- Put-in
- Taylors Falls / St. Croix Falls landing
- Take-out
- William O'Brien State Park
Reading USGS gauge 05340500 — ST. CROIX RIVER AT ST. CROIX FALLS, WI ↗
FAQ
- What water level is good for paddling St. Croix River — St. Croix Falls to William O'Brien?
- This section is generally runnable at 2,000–11,000 cfs. 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 St. Croix River levels?
- We read USGS gauge 05340500 — 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 St. Croix River — St. Croix Falls to William O'Brien 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 St. Croix River here?
- Typically April–October, 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.