Jackson Creek, Wisconsin, US

Memorial Park Dam (PnP)

Downstream from the dam

Downstream from the dam
Photo by Rob Smage taken 10/17/09

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
TURTLE CREEK AT DELAVAN, WI
usgs-05431032	100 - 100 cfs	I	1y127d00h34m	~ 22 cfs (rc= -0.8 )
	Likely unplayable at any flow. Listed flow is (I believe) combined outflow of Johnson Creek and Turtle Creek, thus WILL NOT accurately portray boatability on this reach.

River Description

Jackson Creek flows into Delavan Lake on the east, and serves its outlet to the west. Flow to the lower part of the creek is regulated by a dam at the Delavan Lake outlet. (There was a USGS Gauge for this, which has gone unfunded.)

Park by the skateboard ramps in Memorial Park and walk past them toward a building behind them, and you'll see a small dam on the creek. A cement 'splash apron' slopes away from the dam into a short, reasonably deep pool. At moderate flows, it appears a surfable wave could form here. Rough cement slabs line the shore, but the pool itself is clear. The pool is backed up by a short cement wall/dam.

The problem is, when there are adequate flows in the creek, it is likely they will open the river-right spill-gate a bit. Water coming from under that gate slides down and careens off the right wall, and its current rips through the short pool to spill across the wall/dam. Presently this has caught a huge tree, making things extremely dangerous for anyone trying to boat this. At high (boatable) flows, the wall/dam creates a nasty sticky looking pourover. If/when the huge tree is removed or rots sufficiently to be flushed out of the river, water will spill away from this lower wall/dam much better. Rocky rubble shoals lead maybe another 20-30 yards until things smooth out, but numerous river-wide logs span the flow, making passage impossible. Not far downstream, a road bridge spans the creek, and has virtually no clearance at any otherwise boatable flow. Not far below that, Jackson creek merges into Turtle Creek.

As a result of everything observed here, my recommendation is, at any time, at any flow, this should NOT be considered to be a place to boat.