Milwaukee River — Grafton to Cedarburg: River Level Today — Can You Paddle It?
Verdict · updated Aug 26, 4:00 AM UTC
Too low to paddle
Not enough water to float well — expect scraping and walking. Wait for rain or a dam release.
Estimated range
210 cfs
5.9 ft gauge height
USGS gauge 04086600
Runnable 250 – 700 cfs
What this means today
At 210 cfs the Milwaukee River is 40 cfs short of the 250 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, 221 cfs to 210 cfs. Daily means over the past 7 days have run between 189 cfs and 275 cfs, 26% higher at the end of the week than the start.
Paddling Grafton to Cedarburg
Milwaukee River at Grafton to Cedarburg is a Class II run in Wisconsin — bouncy wave trains and the occasional small rapid. Most paddlers put in at Grafton (Lime Kiln Park area) and take out at Cedarburg area landing.
Whether it's worth the drive comes down to flow. This section generally paddles well at 250–700 cfs (a conservative estimate — see our methodology). Much below that and the Milwaukee 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 04086600 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–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 II
- Length
- —
- Float time
- —
- Best months
- May–October
- Put-in
- Grafton (Lime Kiln Park area)
- Take-out
- Cedarburg area landing
Reading USGS gauge 04086600 — MILWAUKEE RIVER NEAR CEDARBURG, WI ↗ · runnable range is an estimate (see methodology)
FAQ
- What water level is good for paddling Milwaukee River — Grafton to Cedarburg?
- This section is generally runnable at 250–700 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 Milwaukee River levels?
- We read USGS gauge 04086600 — 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 Milwaukee River — Grafton to Cedarburg good for beginners?
- This section is rated Class II. 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 Milwaukee River here?
- Typically May–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.