Delaware | New Castle County / Delaware City and Augustine Beach shoreline
Delaware River
Fort DuPont Branch Canal to Augustine Beach
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
An advanced Delaware-only tidal/open-water day route with a Branch Canal launch transition, two state-listed public ramp facilities, hard weather and traffic controls, and no informal shoreline camping posture.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Fort DuPont Branch Canal public boat rampThe state inventory establishes public facilities but does not guarantee paddlecraft access, available parking, open gates, a launch-ready wetted edge, or a safe landing on the travel date.
Take-out
Augustine Beach public boat rampFort DuPont is described by DNREC as a Branch Canal launch context. Confirm the route from the ramp to the Delaware River rather than treating the facility coordinate as a direct main-stem landing.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The state inventory establishes public facilities but does not guarantee paddlecraft access, available parking, open gates, a launch-ready wetted edge, or a safe landing on the travel date.
- Fort DuPont is described by DNREC as a Branch Canal launch context. Confirm the route from the ramp to the Delaware River rather than treating the facility coordinate as a direct main-stem landing.
- Augustine Beach has periodic dredging and maintenance closures. A closed or unsafe Augustine finish stops the trip; do not substitute Collins Beach, Delaware Bay shoreline, New Jersey, or an unmarked bank without a separate review.
Watch for
- NOAA Delaware City station 8551762 tide and water-level information, NWS marine forecast and small-craft advisories, wind-against-tide chop, visibility, daylight, and cold-water exposure
- USGS 01482170 Delaware River at New Castle gage-height proxy, local current, wakes, commercial traffic, marked channels, dredging, floating debris, shoals, riprap, bulkheads, and difficult shorelines
- Fort DuPont Branch Canal exit, Augustine Beach closure or maintenance notices, parking, gate status, ramp sharing, exact waterline, lawful landing, shuttle, and a hard no-launch decision when any endpoint or weather condition is uncertain
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Data and sources
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Delaware River at New Castle, DE |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | Not calibrated yet |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | NOAA Delaware City tide/water-level station and Delaware tidal-access guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named moving-water corridorFort DuPont Branch Canal through the Delaware River to Augustine Beach
The current Delaware tidal-access inventory lists both facilities as public boat ramps approximately five miles apart. The route is bounded to Delaware endpoints and explicitly includes the Fort DuPont Branch Canal transition; it does not claim an open Delaware Bay or interstate extension.
- Authoritative public endpoint evidenceFort DuPont three-ramp facility and Augustine Beach two-ramp facility
Delaware’s current access inventory identifies both facilities as public boat ramps. DNREC’s waterways and wildlife-area materials provide managed-access context; current ramp condition, paddlecraft carry, gate, parking, and waterline still require field verification.
- Proxy tidal-flow evidenceUSGS 01482170 Delaware River at New Castle, DE, with NOAA Delaware City tide/water-level context
The USGS station is retained as clearly labeled nearby tidal gage-height proxy context. Use NOAA tide/water levels, marine forecasts, local wind/current, and visual conditions; no universal numeric paddling cutoff is transferred.
- Route-specific access and safety guidanceDNREC Fort DuPont Branch Canal context, Augustine Beach wildlife-area access map, dredging notices, NOAA tide/water levels, and NWS marine forecasts
Fort DuPont is a canal-entry launch context, Augustine Beach is closure-sensitive, and the broad main stem requires advanced tidal/open-water planning for wind, current, commercial traffic, wakes, cold water, and visibility.
- Camping postureNearby basecamp only
No overnight use of either ramp, the Branch Canal, river shoreline, wildlife areas, private waterfront, or industrial frontage is claimed.
- Approved route imageryUSGS Delaware River station image used as same-river context
Approved same-river USGS imagery supplies route context only; it does not certify current access, channel condition, tide, traffic, weather, or endpoint landing.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- 2026 Delaware tidal fishing access areas
- DNREC boating and fishing access
- DNREC waterways and public-access context
- DNREC Augustine Beach boating-access map
- Augustine Beach dredging closure notice
- NOAA Delaware City tide and water levels
- USGS 01482170 Delaware River at New Castle proxy
- Approved same-river Delaware River image
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Quick answers
Delaware River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Delaware River?
Paddle Today watches Delaware River at New Castle, DE and uses Not calibrated yet as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Delaware River route start and end?
This route starts at Fort DuPont Branch Canal public boat ramp and ends at Augustine Beach public boat ramp, about Approximately 6 tidal/open-water miles from Fort DuPont through the Branch Canal and lower Delaware River to Augustine Beach; actual line varies with channel choice, tide, and access conditions on the water.
Is this Delaware River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.