Thunder
Veteran's Park (0.5 miles)
| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 0.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 23 fpm |
| Gauge | Peshtigo River Near Wabeno, Wi |
| Flow Rate as of 18 minutes | 4.16 ftbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | September 7, 2020 |
River Description
Three falls in a county park (plus one more a half-mile downstream) can provide some park-and-play entertainment. At high flows, the second falls will become very 'keepy'.
River Features
USGS sampling site
USGS lists a (one time) sampling site (2.1 miles (crow flies distance) upstream of our recommended PnP) with drainage area of 53.3 square miles. (The coordinates appear out-of-sync with the mapping layers, putting the listed coordinates a long ways from the Thunder, and nearer Handsaw Creek.)
At our suggested put-in (just above the first falls in Veterans Park), drainage is 72.5 square miles (as calculated by USGS StreamStats 4.3.11), so flow here *could* be about 0.162 times (or just under 1/6th) the reading on the Peshtigo gauge. (Obviously correlation cannot be assured.)
Put In
Carry down from the parking area, around the pool at the base of the first falls, to put-in just upstream of the footbridge.
First Falls
A short fast flume into a fine pool.
Second Falls
Immediately below the first falls and pool, the river exits to the right and slides down a wider pitch. This one can get a bit more 'keepy' at higher flows.
Third Falls
Coming out of the pool below the second ledge/drop, the river twists back to the left, the banks narrow a bit, and water spills across a much shorter pourover.
Bonus Falls
Relatively few people are likely to paddle down to catch one final falls (due to either having to bushwhack back upstream to the other falls, or to their vehicles in the parking lot, or to set a shuttle to continue downstream to some next access point).
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportAndrew Lovering
May 22, 2005
Laurieann Casey paddles down the second falls on the second day of the Ten Rivers Expedition as Chris Arnold watches from below. This drop can be very sticky - make sure you have some momentum when you hit the hole.