Kinnickinnic (Milwaukee trib)

PLEASE TAKE NOTE: the 'Mile' markers on these early features are NEGATIVE, to indicate that they are NOT part of our recommended run. They are being included primarily as warning for anyone who may think of exploring further upstream.

Technically, this is apparently a tributary called Lyons Park Creek. The flow comes out of a long (and, I believe, grated/non-enterable from the top end) tunnel. There is virtually no reasonable 'staging area' from which to launch into this cement ditch, and the police department has posted signs prohibiting entry into the cement ditch.

There are a few interesting looking jumps in the next 0.4 mile. Even if it weren't prohibited, it would be quite difficult to find flows at the 'goldilocks' range: not too low (totally scrapey), not too high (washed-out and impossible to get out of), but 'just right'.

A step-drop of ~3-4' immediately precedes ~295' of cement-box culvert. As you approach this box culvert, the combination of the drop and the low ceiling of the culvert will look like the river just disappears (or that it would decapitate you!) at any boatable flow.

Immediately under the downstream edge of 43rd Street lies a rounded cement slab ('hydraulic jump'). With high flows this is likely to form a very uniform hydraulic. However, with only 2.5 square miles drainage, it will seldom get high flows, and they won't last very long.

Upstream of this point, the heavily wooded area is extremely prone to deadfall and snags, so putting in above this location is extremely unlikely by anyone who has bothered to read this description or to look at the actual river!

After 43rd Street, the river passes under a pedestrian bridge and turns sharply to the left (to head north for a short distance) before encountering a railroad embankment where it again turns to the east. Anyone foolhardy enough to be in the river is advised to get out and scout before rounding that bend.

Almost immediately around the bend is about a 5.5' vertical corrugated-iron-wall drop. River-left of the landing pool, two culverts under the railroad contribute flow of '43rd Street Ditch' (a 2.3 sq.mi. tributary, nearly equal the KK at this point), which may cause some interesting currents at times of high flow.

It looks like it could be fun just to carry in to run this drop ('doing laps'), but with such tiny drainage area, getting here when it has the right flow would be exceedingly rare. However (having looked at this once at relatively high flows), flow 'backwaters' so much here that the pool height nearly eliminates all of the drop! So, you'd need 'goldilocks' flows: enough water to not totally scrape coming into/over the edge, but not so much water that the pool height all but eliminates the drop.

While we have seen no specific plans, it seems likely this 'jump' will be removed as part of the MMSD projects affecting both the KK and the 43rd Street Ditch.

The river enters four ~7-8' diameter culverts for ~656'. A right-bend midway through means you won't see 'the light at the end of the tunnel' (until after that bend)!

Nearly a mile of heavily wooded banks upstream are very subject to deadfall, so wood accumulates here, hanging surprisingly high on these culverts, potentially precluding entering ANY of the culverts. The county (or some entity) occasionally clears wood from this location. However, it would be possible for wood to hang up within them, making entering any of them (in a boat) an extremely risky proposition. Even if passage were possible, each boater would need a bright water-resistant flashlight/headlamp to navigate the tunnels! Also, it would be nearly mandatory (before entering the tunnels) to go ashore and walk to the end of the culverts to scout there. (See next description for more info on that.)

This is scheduled to be 'daylighted' (removal of culverts). MMSD website says 'Construction on the riverbed is expected to begin in 2026'

Until that happens, significant skills may be needed to get ashore (in the cement trough prior to the culverts), to exit your boat, and to portage (bushwhacking through the woods) to the downstream end of the culverts.

Access is possible from S.31st & W.Manitoba, under a footbridge just before the confluence with Wilson Creek.

OR ... you could carry over to put on from the cement shoulders on Wilson Creek (coming out from under St.Lukes after being underground for a good while), to run a quick little chute into the KK.

The downside of this put-in ... there is NOTHING of interest for nearly a mile ... you're in a cement ditch with a lot of shrub willow and a lot of urban trash.

So ... look further down for the better choice put-in.

Parking (for the Kinnickinnic Sports Center) is available just off S.20th Street.

This lot cuts off nearly a mile of featureless flush, and leads more directly to what action there is on the KK.

HOWEVER ... it is above the next feature, which is potentially the most problematic spot on this run!

A quarter-mile past S.20th Street, beyond a roundhouse left bend (to head northerly) lies a very wide roughly 3' jump.

At 145 cfs, the approach (from around the bend above this jump) is totally scrapey, but the jump is clean to launch a 'boof' down the middle.

Above 400-500 cfs, the reversal may be inescapable in your boat.

The river is not that deep (at most reasonable flows), so you may be able to stand up in the backwash, grab your boat, and walk to shore! (Anywhere else on the run, extremely swift current in the uniform cement ditch will make any attempts to stand and walk in the stream very dangerous to nearly impossible!)

The problem is ... when on river, there is virually NO WAY TO GET OUT OF YOUR BOAT TO SCOUT unless flow is low enough that you can 'grunge out' near shore on the approach to this feature! Therefore ...

Before putting on upstream, this feature should be scouted by parking on S.16th Street just south of the bridge over the railroad tracks. Step over the guardrail, carefully make your way down (and back up) a steep heavily-wooded slope to get a view from as near water level as you can. Analyze the reversal / backwash and carefully assess your chances of being able to run this drop and not be stuck in the reversal. That said, by the time you finish shuttle, put in, and arrive here in your boat, conditions will almost certainly have changed!

After passing under S.13th Street (you'll see a pedestrian bridge crossing where S.11th Street dead ends either side of the river), a short 'hydraulic jump' will be encountered. This one is very minor, formed by what look essentially like parking-lot stop-blocks in the cement-ditch-bottom. At flows in the 400-600 cfs range, this forms a sweet-looking V-wave which could allow catch-on-the-fly one-shot surfs.

Visible from a footbridge spanning the cement ditch at 8th Street (which dead-ends on each side of the river), this hydraulic jump is quite interesting. As shown in the photo, the right side stays high further than the left side. All faces are sloped rather than vertical, making for some VERY interesting currents here.

Also, immediately at the base of the drop, on the left, there is an storm sewer (combined sewer) outlet which could (at times of excessive rains) contribute significant contaminated flows.

Anyone considering putting in upstream of this point should stop here first to have a look at this feature. At flows around 300-400, left-of-center has a wicked looking wrapping wave, while the right-side drops into a fairly significant reversal. It will take significant skills to avoid being violently flipped by the strong currents! (A 'power nasal flush' of stormwater is likely to ensue.)