Wisconsin | North Central Wisconsin
New Wood River
County Highway E to Tesch Road
Check current paddling conditions for this New Wood River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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
Run the AW New Wood River route from County Highway E to Tesch Road. The Prairie River near Merrill gauge is only a proxy, and the app uses the documented 202 cfs trip level as a minimum floor.
Put-in
County Highway E bridgeOpen mapCounty Highway E access requires a carry from the road/bridge area; AW describes the practical put-in by road geometry rather than a formal ramp.
Take-out
Tesch Road bridgeOpen mapTesch Road is a bridge take-out with footing and parking that should be checked before launch.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- County Highway E access requires a carry from the road/bridge area; AW describes the practical put-in by road geometry rather than a formal ramp.
- Tesch Road is a bridge take-out with footing and parking that should be checked before launch.
- Do not extend upstream or downstream without a separate plan; nearby quietwater and companion creeks use different access assumptions.
Watch for
- Continuous Class I-II rock gardens, waves, and bony lines near the 202 cfs floor.
- Ropes, fences, or new wood across the channel after storms or land-use changes.
- Fast rises, cold water, private banks, and limited rescue options on a small north-central Wisconsin creek.
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
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 | Prairie River near Merrill, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 202 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Miles Paddled bare-minimum Prairie River proxy observation for New Wood River |
| 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.
- American Whitewater routeCounty E to Tesch Road, 4.7 mi, Class I-II
AW documents the exact reach, gradient, access points, Prairie River gauge relationship, and continuous rock-garden character.
- Endpoint coordinates45.25777, -89.84434 to 45.24182, -89.81235
Miles Paddled publishes GPS points for the County Highway E put-in and Tesch Road take-out.
- Minimum-only threshold202 cfs on Prairie River near Merrill
Miles Paddled says their 2.7 ft / 202 cfs Prairie River reading was a bare-minimum level and notes that AW also suggests the Prairie gauge.
- Current gauge check113 cfs at 2026-07-17 03:00 CDT
USGS Water Services placed the Prairie River proxy below the selected minimum floor during this run.
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.
Share your trip
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
New Wood River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling New Wood River?
Paddle Today watches Prairie River near Merrill, WI and uses 202 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this New Wood River route start and end?
This route starts at County Highway E bridge and ends at Tesch Road bridge, about About 4.7 mi on the water.
Is this New Wood River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.