Wisconsin | South Central Wisconsin
Beaver Dam RiverCotton Mill Park to County Road J
Short Dodge County swiftwater run that starts below the Beaver Dam Lake dam, threads downtown riffles and Class I-II waves, then opens into a quieter marshy finish at County Road J. It is worth adding only as a guarded moving-water route because dam releases, strainers, and low bridges can change the day fast.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Cotton Mill Park just below the Beaver Dam Lake dam and finish at the improved County Road J landing. This route has more gradient and small waves than most south-central Wisconsin paddles, so the live gauge, recent wood reports, and same-day dam behavior matter more than mileage.
Access map
Put-in
Cotton Mill ParkCotton Mill Park is the clean public start, but the launch is close to the dam and the first small weir. Scout the first bridge/drop before committing.
Take-out
County Road J landingCounty Road J now has a dedicated landing and parking area per recent Miles Paddled reports, but it is still road-adjacent. Do not block the nearby gate or private access.
Road shuttle
Use a short car shuttle between Cotton Mill Park in Beaver Dam and the County Road J landing near Leipsig. The bike shuttle is possible but County Road G has uncomfortable traffic exposure, so a vehicle shuttle is cleaner.
Additional access notes
- A controlled release can make the route runnable, but abrupt dam-gate changes can also make the river rise quickly. Check the gauge shortly before launching and again at the put-in.
More route and safety guidance
- Class I-II waves, small weirs, pushy downtown current, low bridges, and strainers require active boat control.
- Blue-green algae, wastewater-plant context, cold water, wind, and fresh wood after storms require current checks.
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Beaverdam River at Beaver Dam, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Beaverdam River at Beaver Dam, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 30 cfs to 140 cfs |
| Low threshold | 29 cfs |
| High threshold | 211 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Wisconsin River Trips Beaver Dam River gauge guide |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route supportBeaver Dam - 5.8 miles
Dodge County lists the Beaver Dam River as a county waterway route and describes the same downtown-to-Hwy-J trip character, ending where the rapids fade after Highway J.
- Direct gauge and reachUSGS 05425912 / 5.35 miles / Class I-II
American Whitewater lists Cotton Mill Park to CTH J as a 5.35-mile Class I-II reach using the Beaverdam River at Beaver Dam gauge.
- Primary app range30 to 140 cfs
Wisconsin River Trips treats 30-90 cfs as the great target band and 91-140 cfs as high-side but good if rapids are the priority; the app uses that combined 30-140 cfs as the guarded normal window.
- High-water ceiling211+ cfs too high for broad use
Wisconsin River Trips says strainers and fast current become annoying at 141-210 cfs and that 211+ cfs becomes obnoxious and partly dangerous; American Whitewater also warns not to exceed the recommended maximum because bridges can become difficult or impossible.
- Endpoint coordinatesCotton Mill Park 43.45456, -88.84298; County Road J 43.39397, -88.86828
Miles Paddled publishes GPS coordinates for Cotton Mill Park and the County Road J take-out, and its 2026 comment confirms a dedicated parking and landing area at County J.
- Put-in authorityCity park at 200 Haskell Street
The City of Beaver Dam lists Cotton Mill Park as a public city facility on the easterly edge of Beaver Dam Lake with fishing and basic park amenities.
- HazardsDam releases, strainers, low bridges, algae
American Whitewater documents strainer and low-bridge risk, blue-green algae warnings, and recent 2024-2026 trip reports with portage/wood updates; Wisconsin River Trips warns that dramatic dam releases can occur suddenly.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
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