See all 2 routes on Whitewater River
Minnesota | Southeast Minnesota
Whitewater River
Highway 74 / Beaver to Highway 61
Check current paddling conditions for this Whitewater River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
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 the Beaver / Highway 74 access and take out at Highway 61 near Weaver. The Beaver gauge is direct and currently in the official medium band, but DNR warns this lower corridor is not novice-friendly because trees and occasional log jams can block the channel.
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
Whitewater River, Beaver Public Water Access SiteBeaver resolves as WAS02183 at river mile 10.3 and Highway 61 resolves as WAS00260 at river mile 0.5 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
Take-out
Whitewater River, Highway 61 Public Water Access SiteThese are small carry-in accesses with limited parking and no restroom listed in the public-water-access records.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Beaver resolves as WAS02183 at river mile 10.3 and Highway 61 resolves as WAS00260 at river mile 0.5 in Minnesota public-water-access GIS.
- These are small carry-in accesses with limited parking and no restroom listed in the public-water-access records.
- Do not use informal WMA banks, private banks, or agricultural edges as routine stops; plan the shuttle around the two named public accesses.
Watch for
- Many trees, occasional log jams, deadfall, strainers, and tight maneuvering below Beaver.
- Constructed rock rapids at and below Beaver, including drops shown on DNR Map 2 near river miles 10.2, 6.4, and 4.2.
- Flashy rain response, cold water, poor summer visibility, soft banks, and scraping if the Beaver gauge drops below the medium band.
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
Why this score
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 | Whitewater River nr Beaver, CSAH30 |
| Gauge elevation | 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 |
| Target band | 692.30 ft to 697.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 690.00 ft |
| High threshold | 698.00 ft |
| Evidence strength 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 Whitewater River near Beaver |
| 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.
- Official map sequenceBeaver river mile 10.2 to Highway 61 river mile 0.5
MN DNR Zumbro/Whitewater Map 2 places Beaver, constructed rock rapids at river miles 10.2, 6.4, and 4.2, Appleby Pools, and the Highway 61 carry-in access in sequence.
- Public access recordsWAS02183 to WAS00260
Minnesota public-water-access GIS resolves Whitewater River Beaver at Highway 74 and Whitewater River Highway 61 with coordinates, parking context, and water-trail river miles.
- DNR bands690 / 692.3-697 / 698 ft gauge elevation
MN DNR interprets the Beaver gauge elevation as Scrapable below 690 ft, Low from 690 to 692.3, Medium from 692.3 to 697, High from 697 to 698, and Very High above 698.
- Current gauge check693.26 ft at 2026-07-23 12:45 CDT
The current MN DNR feed placed Beaver in the official medium band during this run.
- Lower-river warningNot suitable for novices
MN DNR warns the lower stretch between Beaver and Weaver is not suitable for novice paddlers because of many trees and occasional log jams.
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
Whitewater River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Whitewater River?
Paddle Today watches Whitewater River nr Beaver, CSAH30 and treats 692.30 ft to 697.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Whitewater River route start and end?
This route starts at Whitewater River, Beaver Public Water Access Site and ends at Whitewater River, Highway 61 Public Water Access Site, about About 9.8 mi on the water.
Is this Whitewater 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.