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Chicago Whitewater Association

DuPage River at Shorewood

This is a class 1/2 river and is typically the first trip for beginners. This trip will focus on navigating about 6 miles of river while learning basic whitewater techniques such as peeling out of eddies, entering eddies, and ferrying across the river.

This trip uses two locations, boats put in at Hammel Woods and take out at a strip of river at the Intersection of W Canal and W Shepley Roads, Minooka. (or 41.467571, -88.210721)  

Common break area or rest stop is a park near County Farm and W Seil Roads

Every bridge has opportunities to practice entering eddies and ferry. Each bridge pylon will interrupt the flow of water around and this creates an eddy behind all pylons. This is a great opportunity to practice entering the eddy, and then ferry to the next eddy.

Near the end of the trip is a railroad trestle that creates some eddies and artifacts in the river that allow for practice attaining the river. Attaining the river essentially means finding a way to paddle up stream. there's several eddies after the tracks that allow you to ferry across the river, paddle up an eddy, and then ferry back across to the next eddie and more upstream work.

DuPage River Gauge Information

Gauge and flow rates are dependent on the river, different rivers normally carry different volumes of water. The National Weather Service defines flood stage for this river as 6.5 feet. 

  • Action: 6.0 feet; this is where the NWS will issue flood advisories
  • Minor: 6.5 feet
  • Moderate 8.0 feet
  • Major 11.0 feet

Chicago Whitewater Association is a 501(c) non-profit organization. Chicago, Illinois

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