Big Sugar Creek — Powell to Pineville: River Level Today — Can You Paddle It?
Verdict · updated Aug 26, 1:15 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
8 cfs
4.3 ft gauge height
USGS gauge 07188653
Runnable 40 – 1,200 cfs
What this means today
At 8 cfs Big Sugar Creek is 32 cfs short of the 40 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, 8 cfs to 8 cfs. Daily means over the past 7 days have run between 8 cfs and 9 cfs, 11% lower at the end of the week than the start.
Paddling Powell to Pineville
Big Sugar Creek at Powell to Pineville is a 7-mile Class I run in Missouri — easygoing moving water with light riffles and nothing technical. Most paddlers put in at Powell and take out at Pineville, a trip that runs about 3 hours at a relaxed pace.
Whether it's worth the drive comes down to flow. This section generally paddles well at 40–1,200 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Much below that and Big Sugar Creek 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 07188653 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
- 7 mi
- Float time
- ~3 hr
- Best months
- April–October
- Put-in
- Powell
- Take-out
- Pineville
Reading USGS gauge 07188653 — Big Sugar Creek near Powell, MO ↗ · runnable range is an estimate (see methodology)
FAQ
- What water level is good for paddling Big Sugar Creek — Powell to Pineville?
- This section is generally runnable at 40–1,200 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 Big Sugar Creek levels?
- We read USGS gauge 07188653 — 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 Big Sugar Creek — Powell to Pineville 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 Big Sugar Creek 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.
- How long does it take to float Big Sugar Creek — Powell to Pineville?
- This reach is about 7 miles, roughly 3 hours at a relaxed pace. Higher water is faster; low water and headwinds are slower. Add time for stops.