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Kansas | Northeast Kansas
Kansas River
Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont to St. George / Boggs Landing
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 below the Manhattan K-177 bridge at the Fairmont ramp and take out at St. George / Boggs Landing for a 12-mile upper-Kaw day. The Wamego USGS gauge is downstream of the take-out and should be treated as a proxy rather than a precise Manhattan-stage reading.
Put-in
Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont Access Ramp Open mapThe Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont ramp has limited parking and no restroom; do not block the packed gravel approach under the bridge.
Take-out
St. George / Boggs Landing Access Ramp Open mapFriends of the Kaw notes that the nearby Linear Park / Big Blue access requires an upstream Big Blue paddle from the Kansas River and can be difficult when Tuttle Creek Reservoir releases exceed 500 cfs; this route avoids that take-out but still needs a release check near Manhattan.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats
- The Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont ramp has limited parking and no restroom; do not block the packed gravel approach under the bridge.
- Friends of the Kaw notes that the nearby Linear Park / Big Blue access requires an upstream Big Blue paddle from the Kansas River and can be difficult when Tuttle Creek Reservoir releases exceed 500 cfs; this route avoids that take-out but still needs a release check near Manhattan.
- St. George / Boggs Landing has strong amenities, but local events, mud, high-water cleanup, and ramp condition still need a same-day check.
- 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 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
See this route on the water
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 Wamego, 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 Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont, RM 150.7
Friends of the Kaw lists the Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont ramp below the K-177 bridge with GPS 39.17428, -96.55318, river-right access, parking for 5-8 cars, lighting, trash can, kiosk, and a concrete ramp.
- Public take-out St. George / Boggs Landing, RM 137
Friends of the Kaw lists St. George / Boggs Landing with GPS 39.18726, -96.42202, river-left concrete ramp, restrooms, trash can, picnic table, informational kiosk, lighting, and ample parking.
- Route distance About 12 river miles
The Manhattan access page says St. George / Boggs Landing is 12 miles downstream on river left and describes the reach as a nice beginner paddle with city services nearby at both ends, while noting the mileage makes it one of the longer day trips.
- 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.
- Proxy gauge USGS 06887500 at Wamego
USGS operates Kansas River at Wamego, KS downstream of the St. George take-out. Use it as a same-river proxy; the closer Manhattan gauge does not compute discharge and was stale during this run.
- Big Blue release caveat Tuttle Creek releases can affect nearby access choices
Friends of the Kaw warns that paddling from the Kansas River up the Big Blue to the Linear Park access can be difficult if Tuttle Creek Reservoir releases exceed 500 cfs; check reservoir releases before planning any Manhattan-area variation.
Verify it yourself Check the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- Friends of the Kaw Kansas River access map
- Friends of the Kaw Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont access
- Friends of the Kaw St. George / Boggs Landing access
- Friends of the Kaw Paddle FAQ
- Friends of the Kaw river and sandbar safety
- USACE Kansas River recreation appendix
- USGS 06887500 Kansas River at Wamego
- USGS 06879820 Kansas River at Manhattan
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 Wamego, 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 Manhattan K-177 / Fairmont Access Ramp and ends at St. George / Boggs Landing Access Ramp, about About 12 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.