Root, Wisconsin, US |
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| Usual Difficulty | I (varies with level) |
|---|---|
| Length | 7.72 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 4 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 4 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root River At County Line (CPM Gauge) | ||||
| virtual-10426 | 100 - 3000 cfs | I | 00h22m | ~ 25 cfs (rc= -0.8 ) |
Generally too low; Flatwater pools separated by grungy shoals. Virtual gauge adds two upstream gauges in Franklin (Root + Root Canal); result should be fairly accurate representation of flow in this reach. |
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Quick Facts:
Location: about 8 miles northwest of downtown Racine, WI.
Shuttle Length: 5.4 miles. (See details in "Directions" Tab.)
Character: Mostly flatwater/swiftwater float, with a few shoals. At moderate flows some fine
'splishy splash' waves develop.
Put-in is approximately 650' elevation.
Take-out is approximately 620' elevation.
Thus total elevation change is approximately 30'.
General Overview
A very pleasant paddle/float trip may be had on the 'upper' Root River. There are no real rapids,
but there are a few areas of shoals which may create some riffles and waves at moderate flows.
The whole reach may be boated virtually any time (other than winter, of course).
Shoals are most prevalent about 0.75-1.0 mile into the run (in the area of the Johnson Park Dog
Run), and again at about 3.1-3.3 miles (a bit downstream of leaving Johnson Park Golf Course). At
low water, you may have to 'pole' or get out and drag your canoe/kayak across the shoals. At high
water, some compression waves may develop in these areas. There are no major permanent
obstructions (rocks or complex rapids), so only minimal technical maneuvering skills are
required. The exception would be areas of deadfall and snags, which may be prevalent (although
there has been an increased 'caretaking' of this stretch, generally keeping a clear path
available).
High-water runs (levels above 600-800 cfs or higher)
should be done only by well-experienced boaters fully aware of the force of swiftwater and the
increased danger it presents. Early season boaters should also be aware of water temperatures and
should prepared to deal with the concerns of cold-water immersion. (Wetsuits or drysuits should
be worn anytime combined air+water temperature is less than 120.)
The most common or advisable trip uses the put-in and take-out points cited due to good access
and parking at these locations. Many other 'mile-road' crossings have minimal shoulders or longer
carries in and out from where you can park your vehicle. If one seeks a shorter trip, reasonable
access is possible near Hwy.31 at Four-mile Road (4.3 river miles down from cited put-in, or (as
a put-in) 3.4 miles down to the cited take-out) or at River Bend Nature Center (6.5 miles from
cited put-in, 1.2 miles to cited take-out).
Even in the drought of summer, one can usually paddle the stretch between 4-mile/Hwy.31 and the
dam. This is often done by just parking at the boat-ramp above the dam (the listed take-out for
this run), paddling upstream (with negligible current) as far as time and interest allow, then
paddling back down, eliminating the need to run any shuttle.
In theory the river looks boatable from near its headwaters (just West of Greenfield
Park in Milwaukee), and parkland flanks the river virtually the whole way. However, I'm sure any
such trip will be far more memorable for the deadfall snags and portages than for any other
reason. And, while good access exists at many locations on the East-West stretch of the river
(along the Milwaukee/Racine County line), this area is also far more prone to strainers
and snags than occur on the reach as detailed here. Other than the far upper headwaters, the
gradient upstream is well under that of the lower reaches we have described. (From the listed
put-in on 5-mile Road, one must go nearly 5 miles upstream (midway between Hwy.V and Hwy.38) to
get a total of 10' of drop.)
No photos found. This virtual gauge adds the flow of the two upstream gauges in Franklin (on the Root River and the Root River Canal) to arrive at a flow in the river in the area of the Milwaukee/Racine County line.
This stretch is almost always boatable (other than when frozen, of course). Min and Max are set only to show levels below and well above 'normal' boatable flows, as well as to color-code predicted levels for the Quarry reach.
When the river is on the rise (after significant rains) this gauge will show levels which can be expected in the Quarry section somewhere between 18 to 36 hours later. This is known as the Corsentino Predictive Method, or CPM (named after Mark Corsentino, a former Marquette grad student (and kayaker) who first postulated the correlation). In spite of the fact that its gauges total 106 Sq.Mi., while the drainage at the lower gauge is 190 Sq.Mi., this correlation has been surprisingly accurate when the river is on the rise. It is generally far less accurate at predicting next-day flows (for the Quarry Section) when the river levels are falling. Unfortunately, since the flooding of June 2008, the CPM seems far less accurate for predicting downstream levels. It is not known if this is due to some of these gauges not yet being recalibrated (by USGS) or if some other unknown factors are involved.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root River At County Line (CPM Gauge) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| virtual-10426 | 100 - 3000 cfs | I | 00h22m | ~ 25 cfs (rc= -0.8 ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Generally too low; Flatwater pools separated by grungy shoals. |
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Virtual gauge adds two upstream gauges in Franklin (Root + Root Canal); result should be fairly accurate representation of flow in this reach. |
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No Comments
Users can submit comments.| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 | Dog Park Riffs | I | |
| 3.2 | Second area of riffs | I | |
| 4.3 | Possible Access |  | |
| 6.3 | Armstrong Park | ||
| 6.4 | River Bend Landing | |
As the river reaches the Johnson Dog Walk Park, it bends left (east) and wraps right (south and west). Through this whole area, current increases, and a fine series of swifts, riffles, and rips exist at good flows. At lower flows, expect to grunge out on shoals.
A large tree has fallen into the river in this area, and it likely to accumulate additional deadwood. Passage should be possible at virtually any flow, but caution is urged. Do not allow your boat to get too close to downed trees, as you are likely to be pressed into them and flipped.
Shallow rocky shoals in this area may create some fine splishy-splash waves (at high water) or (at low water) just be an area where you will likely have to pick your way to find the deepest water, or be prepared to drag your boat on the shallows.
While there is no 'official' designation as a landing, it may be possible to use this location as an access point. There is a small paved area (for utility company access) which is not posted against parking (when I checked, anyway).
NO PUBLIC LANDING.
S.C.Johnson company maintains a beautiful riverside facility for its employees. The grounds contain various pavilions and features. Unfortunately, the park is NOT open to the public.
River Bend Nature Center (affiliated with Racine YWCA) has a canoe landing on its property. Generally they are open to the public during daylight hours.
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A) Five Mile Road to Horlick Dam Pond (7.72 miles), Root Wisconsin, US (mobile)
