Menomonee

This run has been essentially closed due to wood for a handful of years. At one time, I counted at least 21 individual trees (6'-12'+ diameter) blocking the stream. In one spot, a group of at least 3-4 trees with enough branches and other woody accumulation as to dam the flow, backwatering a bit, and 'waterfalling' on the downstream side'

This shows (at least a little bit) how dangerous a tree in the water can be, as it accumulates other woody debris! The (initial, biggest) first problem is the LARGE tree which fell across the river due to the soil having been eroded out from under it. (The 'root ball' is center-frame, the main trunk almost entirely submerged to the right of it.) You can see it has snagged a large branch (mostly above water above the main trunk). Less obvious is another log/tree-trunk in the water upstream, submerged against the middle of the main trunk (causing a hump in the water/flow), and angling diagonally up to river-right (photo-left) shore.

A large tree spans the river. At high flows, water is over the trunk, but ... it is seriously dangerous. Check additional photo for the view from downstream!

Another photo showing a common problem on this narrow upper reach of this river. It seems more years than not, there has been large logs, trees, and branches blocking passage downstream of the confluence of the little side-stream. Boaters need to be ready to eddy-out here and exit the river if/when passage downstream is blocked.

At present, there is a tree which will be problematic in the first drop (around the first sweeping bend). Boaters will want to be on the inside of the bend (or starting outside, charging hard to inside) to avoid it.

This photo shows a very typical situation. A large branch (or a small tree) blows down (or has the soils eroded from its roots and falls) into the stream. The photo is looking upstream, showing where you'd be coming down around the corner with current sweeping you into this strainer. The photo is at unrunnable low flow. At runnable flows, there MAY be room to get around it, but there will be little TIME to get around it, as current will be swift.

This is the first pitch of this run, which starts right under the Main Street bridge, in downtown Menomonee Falls.
Tom & Kevin drop over Kil'n Ledge.

The Lower Dells is mostly a swiftwater flush, but a couple of waves can be surfed (on-the-fly) if you turn bow-upstream and stall your momentum on them.
An alternative put-in (though on private commercial property) may be had on river left. However, this will not allow access to the Bridge Wave.

Running the main gradient on the Menomonee River in Menomonee Falls.

The 'Upper Dells' wave can offer some interesting surfs at good flows.

The 'Heart of the Dells' may not look all that intimidating, but can dish out some unexpected trashings. Current pushes pretty hard toward the right wall which is slightly undercut.

The 'Upper Dells' wave (at the base of the 'First Pitch') can allow some interesting surfs.

This is a view (looking downstream, as one would be approaching it on river) of the overhanging (undercut) wall which lies downstream of Kiln Ledge. All the current will be pushing you toward this overhang/undercut, so good skills (keeping to the inside of the bend) will be ESSENTIAL to keep from being pushed into it.