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Kansas | Northeast Kansas
Kansas River
De Soto to Edwardsville
Check current paddling conditions for this Kansas River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
-- Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at De Soto and take out at Edwardsville for a longer lower-Kaw day. The De Soto USGS gauge is in the put-in corridor, Cedar Creek is closed, and the WaterOne low-head dam is downstream of the Edwardsville take-out.
Put-in
De Soto Access Ramp / Riverfest Park Open mapThe De Soto ramp is public, but Friends of the Kaw notes city-event closures and a sandbar that can form at the toe of the ramp.
Take-out
Edwardsville Access Ramp / River Front Park Open mapCedar Creek Access is closed due to storm damage, so do not plan on it as a normal bailout or take-out.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats
- The De Soto ramp is public, but Friends of the Kaw notes city-event closures and a sandbar that can form at the toe of the ramp.
- Cedar Creek Access is closed due to storm damage, so do not plan on it as a normal bailout or take-out.
- End the trip at Edwardsville. Friends of the Kaw warns that the WaterOne low-head dam is downstream and should not be run in any vessel.
- All access and parking are subject to same-day city, county, and ramp conditions. Mud, silt, event closures, and shifted sand can change ramp usability.
Watch for
- Low flows below about 1,000 cfs can make the channel narrow and sandbar navigation slow or technical.
- Flows above 5,000 cfs are outside the novice band, and above 8,000 cfs Friends of the Kaw says sandbar rest stops become scarce.
- Wind across long open bends, storms, rising water, floating wood, strainers, bank hooks and fishing lines, and changing sandbars.
- Private banks along the Kaw; stay with public ramps and legal sandbar stops rather than climbing banks or using private land.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this score Today's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
Outlook Tomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the score Gauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Kansas River at De Soto, KS |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 1,500 cfs to 5,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 1,000 cfs |
| High threshold | 8,000 cfs |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Friends of the Kaw safety bands and USACE Kansas River recreation flow impacts |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
Notes What to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Public put-in De Soto Access Ramp, RM 31.3
Friends of the Kaw lists the De Soto ramp next to Riverfest Park with GPS 38.98496, -94.9746, public access, plentiful parking, restroom, trash can, and kiosk.
- Public take-out Edwardsville Access Ramp, RM 16.6
Friends of the Kaw lists the Edwardsville ramp at River Front Park with GPS 39.05056, -94.81665, concrete ramp, large lighted parking lot, restroom, trash can, picnic tables, and lighting.
- Route distance About 14.7 river miles
The access pages place De Soto at river mile 31.3 and Edwardsville at river mile 16.6. Cedar Creek at river mile 26.1 is closed, so this route continues to the next open public ramp.
- Public river and ramps Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri Rivers public in Kansas
Friends of the Kaw says the Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri Rivers are public rivers in Kansas and that all Kansas River boat ramps are open to the public.
- Flow safety bands Novices under 5,000 cfs; all paddlers under 8,000 cfs
Friends of the Kaw recommends novice paddlers stay below 5,000 cfs and more experienced paddlers stay below 8,000 cfs; at 8,000 cfs and higher, few sandbars remain for rest stops.
- Low-flow recreation impacts <1,000 / 1,500-5,000 / 8,000+ cfs
USACE Kansas River recreation material identifies difficult paddling below 1,000 cfs, no recreation impacts from 1,500 to 5,000 cfs, novice impacts from 5,000 to 8,000 cfs, and extremely difficult paddling from 8,000 to 11,000 cfs.
- Gauge USGS 06892350 at De Soto
USGS operates Kansas River at De Soto, KS in the put-in corridor, making it a direct same-river gauge for the upstream end of this route.
- Downstream dam caveat WaterOne low-head dam below Edwardsville
Friends of the Kaw warns that the WaterOne low-head dam is 2.5 miles downstream from Edwardsville and should not be run in any vessel. This route ends at Edwardsville before that hazard.
Verify it yourself Check the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
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Reports
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Quick answers
Kansas River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Kansas River?
Paddle Today watches Kansas River at De Soto, KS and treats 1,500 cfs to 5,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Kansas River route start and end?
This route starts at De Soto Access Ramp / Riverfest Park and ends at Edwardsville Access Ramp / River Front Park, about About 14.7 mi on the water.
Is this Kansas River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.