Sheboygan, Wisconsin, US

downtown Sheboygan Falls (0.5 mile)

Jeremiah

Jeremiah
Photo by Val Jean taken 05/15/11

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
SHEBOYGAN RIVER AT SHEBOYGAN, WI
usgs-04086000	900 - 2000 cfs	II-IV	61d11h38m	1200 cfs (rc= 0.4 )
	Moderate boatable range. Actual flow will be roughly 75% of USGS figure, but subject to irregularities due to uneven contribution from significant downstream tribs.

River Description

Quick Facts:

Location: downtown Sheboygan Falls.
Shuttle Length: 0.5 mile (carry up)
Character: Wide riverbed consists of bedrock and ledges to provide some 'in town' fun.

Put-in is approximately 660' elevation.
Take-out is approximately 620' elevation.
Thus total elevation change is approximately 40'.

General Overview

A dam (potentially runnable far left, but landing very hard and very shallow (therefore not recommended); completely inadvisable anywhere else) precedes a stretch of shallow-bedrock warm-up rips leading to a short (1-2') ledge immediately under a highway/railroad bridge in the heart of town. Just downstream, a taller (6-8') ledge combination is encountered. River left is more gradual, center river is slightly more steep and stepped, while river right is a taller and more abrupt combination (I.E., looks painful). More sloping bedrock leads to final shorter ledge (2-3'), which could form a sticky hole to river left (where most of the water will be, and the slightly right-to-left-sloping riverbed will try to take you).
While a handful of waves develop down the course of this short run, most are catch-on-the-fly. The shallowness of the bedrock, the swiftness of the water, and the lack of significant eddies make repeat play dependant upon not being blown downstream too far, and paddling back up the current to regain the wave. Aggressive playboaters will find places for surfs, spins, and grinds, but others may just enjoy carrying up to repeat this run for the sheer joy of 'getting some air' (launching a boof off a ledge of any size, a rarity in S.E. Wisconsin).

Shuttle will typically be via carrying upstream via sidewalks in town.