Delaware | Kent County / Dover tidal river and DNERR estuary
St. Jones River
Lebanon Landing to Scotton Landing
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.
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
A tide-dependent day route linking two documented public access facilities, with a compact upstream ramp, a reconstructed downstream ramp/courtesy dock, 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
Lebanon Landing boat rampThe state inventory confirms access-area facilities but cautions that individual access should be visited to gauge conditions. It does not guarantee a launch-ready wetted edge, parking availability, or a paddlecraft landing on the day of travel.
Take-out
Scotton Landing boat rampDNERR access is limited to designated locations and permitted public-visitation times. Do not use bridges, marsh banks, private parcels, or Silver Lake shoreline as substitute access.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The state inventory confirms access-area facilities but cautions that individual access should be visited to gauge conditions. It does not guarantee a launch-ready wetted edge, parking availability, or a paddlecraft landing on the day of travel.
- DNERR access is limited to designated locations and permitted public-visitation times. Do not use bridges, marsh banks, private parcels, or Silver Lake shoreline as substitute access.
- Scotton is also known as Barkers Landing and is a working Fish & Wildlife ramp. Keep the route hard-bounded at the named facility and recheck construction, gate, traffic, parking, tide, and waterline conditions.
Watch for
- USGS 01483700 St. Jones River at Dover proxy trend; the USGS warns flow is frequently affected by tide and wind, so do not use discharge as a standalone cutoff
- DNERR Lebanon/Scotton water level, salinity, turbidity, temperature, wind, and current direction; current tide predictions and weather
- shallow mud, shoals, submerged vegetation, strainers, bridges, wakes, ramp traffic, urban water-quality advisories, private banks, daylight, and shuttle failure
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 | St. Jones River at Dover, DE |
| 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 | 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 | DNREC St. Jones guided-boat-trip tide dependence and DNERR continuous water-level/wind monitoring |
| 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 corridorLebanon Landing to Scotton Landing
The current Delaware tidal-access inventory lists both facilities on the St. Jones River, while DNERR describes the St. Jones as an estuary and identifies both locations for canoe/kayak access.
- Public endpoint evidenceLebanon Landing and reconstructed Scotton Landing Fish & Wildlife ramps
The 2026 state inventory lists one ramp lane and a fishing pier at each endpoint. DNREC’s 2024 reopening notice documents Scotton’s new ramp, courtesy dock, and repaved parking; DNERR’s access plan identifies Lebanon and Scotton as canoe/kayak access.
- Proxy flow evidenceUSGS 01483700 St. Jones River at Dover, DE
Active same-river telemetry with discharge, gage height, water level, temperature, and conductance. USGS states that flow is frequently affected by tide and wind and the gage is upstream of the route, so it is retained only as clearly labeled proxy context.
- Route-specific tide and flow guidanceDNREC tide-dependent boat-trip guidance, DNERR endpoint water-level/wind monitoring, and local visual checks
DNREC states that guided St. Jones boat trips are tide-dependent and canceled for inclement weather. Use current tide predictions, endpoint water level, wind direction, current direction, and actual waterline; no universal cfs or tide cutoff is transferred.
- Safety and water-quality evidenceDNREC monitoring, research, access, and consumption-advisory material
DNREC documents 15-minute water-quality/water-level monitoring at Scotton and Lebanon, wind monitoring at the reserve, legacy urban contamination in the watershed, and a St. Jones/Silver Lake fish-consumption advisory. Preserve water-contact and weather controls.
- Camping postureNearby basecamp only
No on-route camping or overnight use of public ramps, piers, or private marsh banks is claimed.
- Approved route imageryCC BY-SA 4.0 Saint Jones River photograph
Wikimedia Commons photograph of the Saint Jones River in Silver Lake Park, Delaware; same-river context only and not certification of current access, tide, hazards, or endpoint conditions.
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
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Quick answers
St. Jones River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling St. Jones River?
Paddle Today watches St. Jones River at Dover, 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 St. Jones River route start and end?
This route starts at Lebanon Landing boat ramp and ends at Scotton Landing boat ramp, about Approximately 4 tidal river miles; planning estimate between the documented Lebanon and Scotton access areas on the water.
Is this St. Jones 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
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.