Water Quality Comment
Cedar Creek - *2025.09.09 Wood Update* Cedarburg Mill to CTH.T (2.3 miles) (WI)
Gauge Conditions
E.L.F.(Extreme Low Flow) beginner/novice: Open boats (canoes or recreational kayaks without skirts), kayaks, rafts; minimal whitewater play.
Photo
Description
This creek had long been a 'hotspot' for PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls). A major contributor to the PCB load was in the dam pond just above the put-in of this reach. Remediation efforts were done on 'Ruck Pond' (just above the listed put-in) during 1994-1995, on 'Hamilton Pond' (about a mile downstream of our recommended take-out) during 2000-2001, and what is likely the final remediation took place in 2017 in both the the Columbia Pond and the Nail Factory Pond (the two 'ponds' backed up by the two dams normally portaged when doing this run).
As a result, there should now be very little concern regarding PCB levels anywhere on this run.
Headwaters of Cedar Creek are Big Cedar Lake and Little Cedar Lake (in Washington County, just north of Slinger, just southwest of West Bend). Most of its upstream drainage is farmlands and marshes and bogs. As a result, it tends to take somewhat longer to rise and is rather slower to fall-off than many other area runs.
Location
Other Rapids on This Run (20)
Rapid
N/A
Hazard
N/A
Rapid
N/A
Playspot
N/A
Waterfall
III
Hazard
N/A
Rapid
N/A
Playspot
II
Playspot
N/A
Playspot
N/A
Playspot
II+
Playspot
II
Playspot
II
Rapid
N/A
Playspot
N/A
Rapid
N/A
Rapid
N/A
Rapid
N/A
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
American Whitewater