Highs and Lows

Before you decide to reserve a trip you may want to check the current water level of the river. Levels are measured all along the rivers and recorded by Suwannee River Water Management.

Real-Time River Levels

What do the numbers mean?

We generally refer to the White Springs measuring station to determine the current condition of the river. The water level descriptions in the following table refer to the White Springs location. The measurements are in feet above mean sea level.

Level Range (ft)	River Condition
HIGH WATER CONDITIONS
76+	Suwannee River at flood stage near White Springs and possibly at the Canoe Outpost, 22 miles down river.
67 - 76	No beaches. Camping difficult; debris in river; swift current; powerful eddies and undercurrents. Possibly dangerous conditions, especially for novice paddlers.Big shoals campsite will be under water at 68 feet.
59 - 67	Some camping beaches. Current faster than usual. Possible "strainers" (tree branches hanging into river, which can trap boats in the current and cause capsizing) on river's edge.
NORMAL WATER CONDITIONS
55 - 59	Medium current in most areas. Beaches mostly exposed and good for camping. Some scenery, such as limestone bluffs and outcroppings. Big Shoals "kicking".
51 - 55	Ideal for camping on beaches. Slow to medium current in most areas. Nice balance between camping, current, and scenery. All trips open, from the Swamp to the Gulf. Big Shoals probably too low to run at this level. (We recommend portaging Big Shoals anyway.)
LOW WATER CONDITIONS
50 - 51	Some low-water hazards above I-75; proceed with caution. Possible trouble areas: Roline boat ramp to Cone Bridge boat ramp; Big/Little Shoals. The river is generally fine in nearly all areas.
49 - 50	Trips above Cone Bridge boat ramp not recommended for people with their own boats. Some possibly nasty areas from Roline boat ramp to Cone Bridge boat ramp and from Big Shoals to Stephen Foster State Park below White Springs.
-49	The Canoe Outpost will not send our canoes above I-75 because of possible damage. Trips above I-75 not recommended; day trips affected, too. (All of our day trips begin below I-75.)