See all 8 routes on Wapsipinicon River
Iowa | Eastern Iowa
Wapsipinicon River
Stone City Access to Anamosa Boat Ramp above the dam
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
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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
Launch at Stone City Access and take out at the Anamosa Boat Ramp above the low-head dam. The route is short and scenic, but the dam boundary and proxy gauge make same-day scouting mandatory.
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
Stone City AccessStone City is a named county Wapsipinicon River access. Use the public access site east of the General Store, not private banks in Stone City.
Take-out
Anamosa Boat Ramp above the damAnamosa Boat Ramp is the intended finish above the dam. Do not continue downstream toward the low-head dam or assume the below-dam state-park launch is part of this route.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Stone City is a named county Wapsipinicon River access. Use the public access site east of the General Store, not private banks in Stone City.
- Anamosa Boat Ramp is the intended finish above the dam. Do not continue downstream toward the low-head dam or assume the below-dam state-park launch is part of this route.
- USGS 05421500 at Stone City did not return current instantaneous product values during this run, so the app uses the fresh Anamosa gauge as a route-corridor proxy.
Watch for
- Mandatory above-dam take-out discipline at Anamosa.
- Riffles, bridge current, quarry-area noise/distraction, and wood along outside bends.
- High or rising water that reduces reaction time before the Anamosa ramp.
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 | Wapsipinicon River near Anamosa, IA |
| 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 | 200 cfs to 2,800 cfs |
| Low threshold | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,800 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | CanWePaddle lower Wapsipinicon Anamosa-to-Oxford range |
| 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.
- Public put-inStone City Access
Jones County describes Stone City Access as a one-acre Wapsipinicon River access site in Stone City, and Travel Iowa corroborates public access and paddling scenery.
- Public take-outAnamosa Boat Ramp above the dam
Jones County lists Anamosa Boat Ramp above the dam in the public Wapsipinicon access chain and says the ramp is at the Wapsipinicon State Park entrance.
- Route shapeAbout 4 miles
The Jones County bridge map labels the Stone City to Anamosa / E-34 access leg at about 4.1 miles.
- Mandatory dam boundaryAnamosa low-head dam
Jones County warns that paddlers downstream from Anamosa need to portage around the dam and should not venture over, on, or close to low-head dams.
- Gauge checkUSGS 05421740 at 1,970 cfs / 7.20 ft
USGS Water Services returned current Wapsipinicon River near Anamosa values at 2026-07-24 00:15 CDT; USGS 05421500 Stone City did not return current instantaneous values.
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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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Wapsipinicon River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Wapsipinicon River?
Paddle Today watches Wapsipinicon River near Anamosa, IA and treats 200 cfs to 2,800 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Wapsipinicon River route start and end?
This route starts at Stone City Access and ends at Anamosa Boat Ramp above the dam, about About 4 mi on the water.
Is this Wapsipinicon 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.
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