Sequatchie River — Ketner's Mill to Whitwell: River Level Today — Can You Paddle It?
Verdict · updated Oct 17, 3:15 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
72 cfs
0.9 ft gauge height
USGS gauge 03571000
Runnable 80 – 2,500 cfs
What this means today
At 72 cfs the Sequatchie River is 9 cfs short of the 80 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 gone from 78 cfs to 72 cfs, 8% down. Daily means over the past 7 days have run between 68 cfs and 79 cfs, 9% higher at the end of the week than the start. The last day and the week as a whole point opposite ways, which usually means a recent rain bump on top of a longer rising trend — worth a second look at the chart before you commit to the drive.
Paddling Ketner's Mill to Whitwell
Sequatchie River at Ketner's Mill to Whitwell is a Class I run in Tennessee — easygoing moving water with light riffles and nothing technical. Most paddlers put in at Ketner's Mill (Hwy 108) access and take out at Whitwell area access.
Whether it's worth the drive comes down to flow. This section generally paddles well at 80–2,500 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Much below that and the Sequatchie 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 03571000 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 March–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
- March–October
- Put-in
- Ketner's Mill (Hwy 108) access
- Take-out
- Whitwell area access
Reading USGS gauge 03571000 — SEQUATCHIE RIVER NEAR WHITWELL, TN ↗ · runnable range is an estimate (see methodology)
FAQ
- What water level is good for paddling Sequatchie River — Ketner's Mill to Whitwell?
- This section is generally runnable at 80–2,500 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 Sequatchie River levels?
- We read USGS gauge 03571000 — 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 Sequatchie River — Ketner's Mill to Whitwell 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 Sequatchie River here?
- Typically March–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.