Wisconsin

Local training grounds and work-out water for Madison area boaters. Rocky outrun from dam/powerplant creates some potential for play. At times of high flow it may provide some excellent 'big water' practice, with powerful swirls and boils.

The gauge listed is well-downstream and may not accurately reflect actual flow here. The Alliant Energy website for this location provides better info, listing the total flow here (through the powerhouse and over the spillway of the dam): Alliant Energy HydroFlowRateData

An anonymous contributor provides (2008-11-02):

'paddled this today around 5,000cfs and its good fun! You can put in right [near] the dam and paddle down. There is a rather big wave in the middle of the right channel, very hard to catch. Then its just turbulent and pushy water till you make it down to the big eddy on river right.

There is a surprisingly nice wave at the top of the eddy that is a cake walk to paddle into. Its pretty fast and can allow some ends and wavewheels, flatspins maybe. What's nice is that soon as you get washed out just head back for the big river right eddy. There you will find a train of whirlpools on the (quite long and super deep) eddy line. SQUIRT CITY! (reminds me of the Gauley -- well, minus the huge ugly dam taking up the entire view.) It also has magnificent eddy service. A few paddle strokes and you're back in the wave.

I didn't find much else to play around in. Everything is either too swift or too rocky. But the one wave on river right made it well worth the trip and I paddled all day.

There were a lot of local fishermen. Most were friendly and came over to talk and watch, others offered scowls. A lot of people were really surprised to see a kayaker and I drew quite an audience. Just smile and wave.

I may be making anot

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