Minimum Flows for Florida Paddling Trails Have you ever driven to a river and found it too low to paddle? This chart can help you determine ahead of time if a designated paddling trail has sufficient water levels for paddling without frequently scraping the bottom or portaging over snags. Using this chart and the availability of river gages that can be accessed online via satellite, a paddler, outfitter or trip leader can better plan an outing before embarking. Bear in mind that gages can only determine water levels and discharge rate, and not the conditions of rivers in regards to snags. In such cases, or where gages are not present, it is best to contact a nearby outfitter or paddling club. Outfitters, public land managers and knowledgeable paddlers are an integral part of this ongoing data collection process. Feedback and input is welcome. Please contact Justin Baldwin with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Greenways and Trails. This chart should be used in conjunction with the Office of Greenways and Trails website page for Florida's Designated Paddling Trails. The chart is only designed to be relevant to the river sections that are part of a designated paddling trail, and measurements are for gage height and not discharge rate. Note: It is generally unsafe to paddle a river during flood stage. Websites for online gages referenced: United States Geological Survey (USGS) by river basin USGS gages by county Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) Tide Charts On this website, you can check tides for 112 sites along the Gulf of Mexico On this link, you can check tides for 102 sites along Florida This site covers 172 sites along the Keys N/A = no information available at this time or not applicable Minimum Flows Chart Paddling Trail Section most Gage used Min. level for affected by low good paddling water Perdido Contact USGS Best between 2-6 Adventures feet; avoid flood Unlimited, 02376500 stage around 13 Perdido: 850-968- Barrineau Park feet 5529 Coldwater Creek Contact USGS N/A Adventures Unlimited: 850- 02370500 623-6197 Milton Sweetwater/Juniper Above Red Rock No online gage N/A Creek Bridge. Contact Adventures Unlimited: 850- 968-5529 or Bob's Canoe Rentals: 850-623- 5457. Blackwater River Consistently USGS Below 6 feet navigable below 6 feet. If above, 02370000 river might be in Baker flood stage. Contact Blackwater Canoe Rental: 800-967-6789 or Blackwater River State Park: 850- 983-5363. Yellow River Above Milligan USGS 1-2 feet or above (Hwy 90) 02368000 Milligan Shoal River Usually navigable USGS N/A below Hwy 90 02369000 Mossy Head Choctawhatchee Exposed USGS Best levels for River Blueway sandbars may not paddling and be available 02365200 sandbar camping during high water Pittman is below 10 feet levels Holmes Creek Springfed. All of USGS N/A designated trail navigable. 02366000 Vernon Econfina Creek Between Scott's NWFWMD Best between 2 Bridge and 544 and 4 feet. Note: Walsingham gage is not Park. Call Scott's Bridge online. Econfina Creek Canoe Livery, 850-722-9032. Chipola River Designated trail USGS Above 12 feet usually navigable. not 02358789 recommended Contact Bear Paw for beginners. Canoe Rentals, Marianna 850-482-4948 Upper Chipola River Snags are No gage prevalent during low water Merritt’s Mill Pond Always navigable N/A Apalachicola River Most sandbars for USGS Below 44 feet for Blueway camping are 02358000 good sandbars; under water river not during high water Chattahoochee recommended during flood stage Apalachicola River N/A Tidally influenced Paddling Trail System Ochlockonee River All. Upper river is USGS Above 12.5 feet North prone to snags. 02329000 Havana Ochlockonee River Above Whitehead USGS Above South Landing 02330000 Bloxham Sopchoppy River Oak Park USGS Above 8.5 feet Cemetery Bridge to Mt. Beeser 02327100 Church Bridge Oak Park Apalachee Bay Smaller tidal N/A Tidally influenced Paddling Trail creeks are not System (Chaires passable at low Creek…) tide Wakulla River Spring-fed river, N/A always navigable Lake Jackson Every few years, No gage N/A sinkhole can dry up lake Wacissa River Slave Canal. Best USGS 7.5 feet median on a high tide. 02326550 (tidally influenced) Nutall Rise Aucilla River All, especially USGS 48-50 feet shoals and above Hwy 27 02326500 Lamont Econfina River Above park boat USGS Above 7.5 feet ramp 02326000 Near Perry Withlacoochee River Above Blue SRWMD Above 54 feet North Springs State Park Pinetta Suwannee River Above Suwannee USGS Above 52 feet North Springs. Big Shoals may 02315500 require portaging White Springs below 55 feet For upper river around Fargo, GA, SRWMD Fargo gage should read above 93.5 feet Suwannee River consistently SRWMD Above 35 feet South navigable below Suwannee Suwannee Springs, although Springs some shoals can be present Big Bend Saltwater Tidally influenced. N/A Paddling Trail Log onto FWC website for more information. Steinhatchee River Upper river and USGS 11-15 feet falls can be impassable in low 02324000 water conditions Cross City Santa Fe Above Hwy. 27 SRWMD Above 32 feet Bridge is often low. 1-2 low spots U.S. 441 below 27 if 441 Bridge gage is below 31.5. Contact Santa Fe Canoe Outpost: 386-454-2050 Ichetucknee River Spring-fed; water N/A levels always suitable Potano Paddling Trail Lake levels are No gage N/A usually sufficient; creek to CR 234 can be impassable in low water St. Mary's Low water can USGS Above 2 feet reveal numerous snags in upper 02231000 river near Macclenny Macclenny. Contact St. Mary's River Fish Camp: 866-845- 4443 Pellicer Always navigable. USGS N/A Contact Faver- 02247222 Dykes State Park: Espanola 904-794-0997 Bulow Creek Always navigable No gage N/A Contact Bulow Creek State Park: 386-676-4050 Tomoka Always navigable. USGS N/A Contact Tomoka 02247510 State Park: Holly Hill 386-676-4050 Spruce Creek Contact Cracker USGS Most of river is Creek Outfitters tidally influenced 386-304-0778 02248000 Samsula Putnam County Water levels are N/A Blueways generally suitable Withlacoochee River Lacoochee to USGS Above 38 feet for South Silver Lake. upper section Contact Nobleton 02312558 Outpost: 352-796- Nobleton 7176 (open Fri- Mon). Wekiva River/Rock Springfed. USGS N/A Springs Run Wekiva is usually navigable but 02235000 Rock Springs Run Near Sanford can be low at times. Call King's Landing outfitters: 407-886-0859. Econlockhatchee Contact Florida USGS Can be snags in Outback upper river if Adventures: 407- 02233484 below 11 feet 302-5550 or Oviedo Hidden River Park: 407-568- 5346. Pithlachascotee River usually USGS N/A navigable below Grey Preserve 02310300 Near New Port Richey Hillsborough Above Sargeant USGS N/A Park can become shallow 02303330 Contact Canoe Near Escape: 813-986- Thonotosassa 2067 Alafia River is generally USGS N/A navigable 02301500 Lithia Little Manatee Call Canoe USGS Above 2 feet Outpost: 813-634- 2228 or Little 02300500 Manatee Wimauma Kayaking, LLC 813-777-0021 Paddle Manatee Most of the 75- N/A mile trail network is tidally influenced. Upper Manatee Contact Ray's N/A Canoe Hideaway: (888) 572-2663 Charlotte County Tidally influenced Tidally influenced Blueways Peace Above Zolfo USGS Above 72 feet Springs Call Canoe 02294898 Outpost: 800-268- 0083 Ft. Meade Below Zolfo, may have to zig-zag to find deep enough water during low rainfall periods. Buster Island Trail can be No gage N/A impassable in low water. Inquire with Lake Kissimmee State park: 863-696- 1112. Loxahatchee Above Trapper No gage Often low in Nelson's historic spring. Must pull site. Call Canoe over small Outfitters: 561- wooden dams. 746-7053 (open Th-Mon). Jupiter Waterway Eastern half of No gage N/A Trail trails are tidally influenced. Whiskey Creek Tidally influenced Tidally influenced Estero Bay and River Tidally influenced Tidally influenced Calusa Blueway Tidally influenced Tidally influenced Hickey Creek Always navigable N/A Blackwater Tidally influenced Tidally influenced River/Royal Palm Hammock FL Tidally influenced Tidally influenced Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Updated 1/16/19 .