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Minnesota | Southern Minnesota
Minnesota River
Buessman Bridge to Riverside Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Minnesota River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
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
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Buessman Bridge and take out at Riverside Park for the short recommended New Ulm-area Minnesota River section. It is useful as a lower-commitment access gap, with the Mankato DNR gauge used conservatively as a downstream same-river proxy.
Put-in
Minnesota River, Buessman Bridge / County Road 14 Public Water Access SiteOpen mapBuessman and Riverside both resolve as Minnesota public-water-access GIS records; use those named landings rather than informal banks.
Take-out
Minnesota River, Riverside Park Public Water Access SiteOpen mapThe Mankato gauge is downstream of this short section, so same-day visual checks at both landings matter.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Buessman and Riverside both resolve as Minnesota public-water-access GIS records; use those named landings rather than informal banks.
- The Mankato gauge is downstream of this short section, so same-day visual checks at both landings matter.
- Minnecon Park is an intermediate rest/drinking-water landmark, not a camping basis for this route.
Watch for
- County Road 14 bridge current at the put-in and Highways 14/15 bridge current near New Ulm.
- Muddy landings, floating wood, private banks, and wind on the broad valley bends.
- Do not continue below Riverside Park unless the downstream Cambria/Cottonwood confluence corridor is separately planned.
Route gallery
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Minnesota River at Mankato, MN |
| 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 |
| Target band | 4,550 cfs to 17,900 cfs |
| Low threshold | 567 cfs |
| High threshold | 22,500 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | MN DNR river-level interpretation bands for Minnesota River at Mankato |
| 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.
- DNR recommended sectionBuessman Bridge to Riverside Park, 5.2 mi
MN DNR's statewide recommended paddling list identifies Buessman Bridge to Riverside Park as a 5.2-mile Minnesota River section.
- Map supportBuessman RM 143.3 to Riverside RM 138.1
MN DNR Map 4 places Buessman Bridge, Fritsche Creek, Minnecon Park, the Highways 14/15 bridge, and Riverside Park in sequence.
- DNR bands566.9 / 4,550-17,900 / 22,500 cfs
MN DNR interprets the Mankato gauge as Scrapable below 566.9 cfs, Low from 566.9 to 4,550, Medium from 4,550 to 17,900, High from 17,900 to 22,500, and Very High above 22,500.
- Current gauge check2,730 cfs at 2026-07-23 18:30 CDT
The official DNR feed placed Mankato in the low band during this run, below the medium recommendation band.
- Public access recordsBuessman WAS00804 and Riverside/New Ulm WAS00792
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves both endpoints with administrators, coordinates, and river-mile records.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Minnesota River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Minnesota River?
Paddle Today watches Minnesota River at Mankato, MN and treats 4,550 cfs to 17,900 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Minnesota River route start and end?
This route starts at Minnesota River, Buessman Bridge / County Road 14 Public Water Access Site and ends at Minnesota River, Riverside Park Public Water Access Site, about 5.2 mi on the water.
Is this Minnesota River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.