Boaters have four opportunities each year to enjoy whitewater releases on the Kaukauna reach of Wisconsin’s Fox River. Under the recreation plan for the Badger-Rapide Croche Hydroelectric Project, Kaukauna Utilities coordinates with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide whitewater boating flows in the natural river channel below Kaukauna Dam on four designated Saturdays each year when river flows and notification requirements are met.
2026 Release Dates and Notification Requirements
Whitewater release opportunities are scheduled for four Saturdays in 2026: June 20, June 27, September 26, and October 3.
To ensure a scheduled release occurs, boaters must notify Kaukauna Utilities no more than 30 days before the scheduled release opportunity and no later than 10:00 a.m. Central Time on the Friday immediately before the scheduled Saturday release. If notification is not received within that window, the release will not occur.
Notification may be provided by email or telephone. Email notifications must be sent to both ops@ku-wi.org and zmoureau@ku-wi.org. Telephone notifications may be made by calling KU System Operations at (920) 766-5988 and selecting Option 4.
Why Advance Notification Matters
In 2025, river flows exceeded the 3,000 cfs threshold on all four scheduled release opportunities. However, no releases occurred because no valid notifications were received during the required notification window. Notifications submitted more than 30 days before a scheduled release opportunity do not satisfy the requirement.
Flow Conditions and Access Information
No release is required when river flows at Rapide Croche are below 3,000 cfs. When flows are between 3,000 and 6,000 cfs, all available flow is directed into the bypass reach for whitewater boating. When flows exceed 6,000 cfs, project operations are adjusted in an attempt to maintain a release of approximately 6,000 cfs in the bypass reach.
One to two days before each scheduled release opportunity, Kaukauna Utilities consults with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to estimate weekend flows and determine the expected operating scenario. This information is posted on the utility’s website. Boaters should also be aware that Kaukauna Utilities does not monitor releases with an on-site presence.
Boaters using the project’s kayaker access platform must purchase an electronic key card from Kaukauna Utilities. Continued participation in these release opportunities helps demonstrate demand for whitewater recreation on the Fox River and will inform future evaluations of the program.
For current information on releases, access requirements, and flow conditions, visit Kaukauna Utilities’ Boater Flows webpage. Note that you can subscribe to river updates by email from this page.