Wisconsin · Hayward, WI

Namekagon River float season

Gauge 05331833 on the Cable to Hayward headwaters of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The wild upper arm of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, where paddlers share tannin-tinted water with eagles, otters, and almost nobody else.

canoekayak Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Dec–Feb
Namekagon River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 30 150 300 500
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Namekagon River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Hayward gauge, the Namekagon River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Dec–Feb. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past April days at this gauge ran above 194 CFS; the February median is 93 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 99
February 93
March 113
April 194
May 174
June 137
July 110
August 100
September 93
October 112
November 115
December 103

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1996 — 30 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 1,910 CFS, in July 2016. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More Wisconsin float rivers

Common questions

When is the Namekagon River usually at its fullest?

At the Hayward gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in April (about 194 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.

What is a typical summer flow on the Namekagon River?

The July median at this gauge is about 110 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.

Is the Namekagon River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 27 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 05331833 (NAMEKAGON RIVER AT LEONARDS, WI), chosen because it best represents the Cable to Hayward headwaters of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Daily records here reach back to 1996.

Data: USGS gauge 05331833, approved daily records 1996–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.