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| RIVER: | Root River, Quarry Lake Park section |
| LOCATION: | Northwest edge of City of Racine |
| AMENITIES: | Click for area amenities (food, lodging, etc.) (Will open new window. Close it to return here.) |
| PUT-IN: | Hwy.38 (Northwestern Ave.), at Horlick Dam |
| ALT.PUT-IN: | Quarry Lake Park parking lot, then carry upriver (N.) on paved path to fence (Upper Pipeline wave). |
| TAKE-OUT: | Quarry Lake Park parking lot (when you see grassy banks (the golf course) and a bridge downstream, get out). |
| ALT.TAKE-OUT: | Lincoln Park (site of the DNR Root River Steelhead Facility) |
| MAP: | Root River: Quarry Section (Will open new window. Close it to return here.) |
| SHUTTLE: | Hwy.38 (Northwestern Ave.) to 0.3 mile to Quarry Lake Park. If boating to Lincoln Park, proceed a total of 1.25 miles (S.E.) on Northwestern Ave to High Street, right (W) 0.3 mile to Jefferson, left (S) 0.3 mile to Lincoln Park. |
| DIST: | 0.4 (1.7) mile |
| TIME: | x hours (PnP) |
| CLASS: | I-III |
| CHARACTER: | Five or six good riverwide ledge/waves, and (at higher water) some small standing waves and other minor features. River is all shallow, sloping bedrock bottom (virtually no 'obstructions' for you or water to maneuver around). Also, this is a VERY popular fly fishing river, so be forewarned you may have a struggle to share the river. The main fishing season is March/April and September/October. Outside those times there is generally little problem. |
| GRADIENT: | ~20FPM |
| GAUGE: | U.S.G.S. gauge: min=200, opt=450-1000, high=2000
"Banksfull" level is 2000 cfs; "Flood stage" is around 2900 Reach is floatable down to 125cfs. Minor play (beginner's practice) is possible down to 150-200. From 450 to about 800 it is intermediate play territory. Between 800 and 1200 most of the features are in an odd in-between state, too pushy to regain most features, but not quite big enough to be awesome expert play. As levels push above 1200 to 2400, waves become big, awesome play for experienced paddlers. |
| SEASON: | Spring or after heavy rain. |
| ANALYSIS: | Min.=0 cfs; 90%=9 cfs; 10%=397 cfs; Max.=4010 cfs; 10/90=42.7
300 cfs = 49 days/yr, 23 of 23yrs 600 cfs = 23 days/yr, 22 of 23yrs 800 cfs = 14 days/yr, 22 of 23yrs 1,000 cfs = 9 days/yr, 20 of 23yrs 1,500 cfs = 3 days/yr, 12 of 23yrs 2,000 cfs = 1 day/yr, 6 of 23yrs 2,500 cfs = 0 days/yr, 4 of 23yrs |
| ADDITIONAL INFO: | Many folks ask about the dam and its 'pond' (impoundment), and fantasize about releases. First off, the dam does not contain a 'releasable' gate, so it's just not possible without rebuild or major modification of the dam (and removal is probably more likely than such a modification would ever be). Second, the impoundment only contains a total of 160 acre feet of water. Discounting whatever natural inflow is occurring (which could replenish the pond or extend release times), the pond would be completely drained in 6.4 hours@300cfs, or 3.2 hours@600cfs, or 1.6 hours@1200cfs. Obviously, such a wide variation in pond height would neither be tolerated nor allowed due to impact on habitat and water quality above and below the dam.
Similarly, some folks have concocted fantasies about pumping from the quarry pond to make a 'release' (particularly since they do pump out from the quarry in spring specifically to bring it's water level down from spring highs). The quarry has 18 acres of surface. Even if one were able to pump 500 cfs from the quarry to the river (which would take far more massive pumps than are currently used), the quarry would drop a foot every 26 minutes (and more as the lake went down as the surface area would drop as well). Thus, even a four hour 'release' of 500 cfs would drop the quarry level by over 10'. Again, this would not be tolerated as it would completely ruin concurrent use of the quarry (for swimming and for fishing from the shore-attached floating pier). |
Put in just below the Horlick Dam. (Yes, for anyone old enough to remember, that's as in Horlick's Malted Milk, which operated from 1877-1975.) The Malted Milk Waves (virtually in the shadow of the Northwestern Avenue bridge) can provide tame front surf and occasional side surf opportunities (@450cfs). At levels above 1200cfs, this wave provides sweet surfs and spins, with a sometimes surfable secondary and tertiary wave below it! Good eddies exist on either side to regain the wave, but be forewarned that it may be a bit brutal on your paddle as you bash rocks and cement on shore to work your way back up. (If you have a 'beater' paddle, you may prefer to use it!)
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About a hundred yards downstream of the bridge, on river right, there is a large shoreline eddy. At high flows (800 cfs or more) there is sufficient depth to the eddy and a good eddyline to plow into the eddy into a bowstall and cartwheels. Immediately downstream lies a small ledge/wave, Diagonal Slice. At lower water levels, novice boaters may enjoy some surfs and flatspin 360's, though the wrapping currents tend to push you out. (This feature washes out completely above 1000cfs.) In the next section of river, at flows above 1000 cfs or so, a series of small standing waves take form, providing "catch on the fly" smooth, easy front surfing, and may allow wave-wheels. A couple large slabs of concrete on river right make for some well defined eddies, good for practicing eddy turns, peel-outs, and possible tail squirts. A few hundred yards of flat swiftwater leads to the next series of ledges and waves as you enter the lower park section (see ALT. PUT-IN). By the way, boats are allowed in the quarry, and are generally tolerated in the swimming area as long as it is not crowded (which it seldom is). (If lifeguards are present, it might be best to check with them first.) However, DO NOT take boats which have been in the river and then paddle in the quarry. The river (being connected with Lake Michigan) is "affected water" for VHS (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia), while the quarry is NOT. Any boat used in the river needs to be thouroughly cleaned (rinsed in bleach!) before using it in the quarry, or you could be subject to a fine. By the same token, boaters are advised they should not jump into or swim in the quarry after having been in the river without first taking a thorough shower with soap. In summer, the park pavillion has vending machines, restrooms, and free showers available (when the building is open). Boaters with spouse and/or kids may bring them along to enjoy fishing the quarry, or (when warmer weather and high waters coincide) playing on the beach and in the quarry. However, please leave all pets (dogs) at home - they are not allowed in the park. 
Upper Pipeline, occurs where a fence blocks the paved footpath in the park. It is recognizable from the river by a 5" PVC pipe in the left bank (through which they pump out the quarry when it's water level is too high). There are actually two waves here, separated by a tongue of water through the middle of the river. At low water levels (200-750 cfs) Upper Pipeline Right is a sweet sit-and-spin wave/hole, while Upper Pipeline Left will be a very shallow riffle/wave where you will either regularly contact bottom, or at least feel its presence beneath your boat. As levels increase, UPR washes out, but UPL becomes a steep (almost vertical face!) wave, which better boaters may get surfs, spins, and grinds on.
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About 50 yards downstream lies Lower Pipeline. At levels from 250-800cfs, from center-to-river-right is a wide, shallow pocket wave which provides excellent front-surf, side-surf, flatspin, and blasting possibilities. Offset just a bit downstream and to river left, a wave we call Tundra (because it lies just below the pipeline) also allows sweet, smooth surfs and flatspins. At these lower water-levels, one can easily work the whole feature, riverwide, as you can generally regain both parts of the wave from eddies below. Above 1000cfs, Tundra disappears, but the main wave increasingly becomes a single river-wide wave, with a flatter tongue just left of center and a steep, curling wall of water river right. It becomes trickier to catch and a THRILL to ride! At certain levels, it is possible to 'attain' through the trees and snags on river left to regain the shoreline eddy above the wave to ride it again and again. Otherwise, many will want to take out shortly downstream to carry up and catch it again from above. Believe me, it's worth it!!!
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Very shortly downstream is Hanging Willows. A rock-rubble wing-dam diverts water across another shallow ledge alongside (and under) overhanging willow trees on shore. Hand-paddle 360's are possible at levels from 150-400cfs. Sweet, easy surfs are available up to maybe 800-1000cfs, while the whole feature tends to wash into a series of waves to flush through at higher levels. Boaters are reminded that all of these upper features are generally quite shallow, and generally not retentive, so will not allow vertical moves at any water levels. (Note: the rock-dam may create a wicked hydraulic at moderate to high levels. Play is not advised due to the irregular jutting rock which comprises the dam.) About a hundred yards downstream, Fenceline is a small, fairly wide transverse ridge of rock. Lying just downstream of a stockade fence (through the trees, high on the left bank), it forms a beginners riffle/wave at water levels around 250-400cfs, and disappears almost completely at any level above that. Just downstream to the right, a small ledge, Hip Pocket, forms a small hole just below some overhanging trees. Scooting across to tight river left is another short steep wave, Good Intentions. Tame surfs start around 300 cfs, and it builds (to above 1250cfs or so) to have a nice short pile, and allows good surfs and spins. This leads us into the last and largest of the features on this river, which I like to call The Evils (of the Root). First is Mid-evil, formed as a tree trunk (and remnants of a logjam) river-right helps direct the water left around a bend. At certain levels, a small eddy forms river-right behind the log-jam/tree, from which one can hop onto this smooth, glassy wave for some sweet surfing. There may also (again, at certain levels) be a fair eddy at river left from which it may be possible to stage and regain the wave. However, more-and-more, as flooding has changed the shores and snags here, this has become a 'catch-on-the-fly'. Falling off the wave (or failure to catch the wave or the eddies) will mean missing the chance to surf this feature. At certain levels (ca.1000cfs), it is possible to regain/attain up the left bank and get back to this wave from the pool below! (This feature pretty much washes out above 1400cfs.) |
Just below that wave lies a river-wide ledge. At low levels (200-450cfs), river left is a mushy pourover which may allow surfs, spins, and splatwheels. You'll find the ledge upstream (and much of the pool downstream) to be quite shallow at these lower water levels. While surfing, you will have repeated contact with the shallow upstream ledge, so temporary 'boat pins' (as the current pushes your boat down against the ledge) are likely, and you better have a quick tuck if you flip or you will have your bell rung or your body parts bashed! As levels rise above 450 cfs, river-left can look rather 'keepy' and intimidating. While the hole is always "punchable", the center and river-right are usually more straightforward and playable. Thus, I call the left side the Greater Evil, and the right side the Lesser Evil.
In truth, they are nowhere near "evil," and (if your skills are up to it) they can be a lot of fun as levels push above 1000cfs and they merge to form one big wave/hole, All Evil! The only real evil is the water quality. The "spit three times" rule applies here, as does the recommendation of applying internal medicinal alcohol after the run! (As if I have to advise boaters of that!) By the way, this is about the only place on the run with enough depth even at lower levels to allow vertical moves (squirts, cartwheels, etc. are best at levels of about 500cfs and up). If you catch the Root above 1800cfs, this becomes one of Wisconsin's finest rodeo holes! (For more photos, at high levels and low, CLICK HERE). |
This is the normal takeout. Below this point, the gradient eases considerably, as one passes through a private country club (golf course), and into other city parks. While there are a few more shoals and waves, the added shuttle and liklihood of snags hardly justifies the paddle for experienced boaters. The main added interest is the fish ladder and sorting tank at the suggested alternate take-out. If this DNR facility is operating, it can be interesting to watch the salmon, trout, and steelheads jumping up the fish ladder, swimming in the collection tank, and being sorted, counted, collected or milked of their eggs, and/or passed into the river to continue upstream. During the spring and fall (March/April, September/October, +/-) 'runs', this is usually staffed Monday and Friday mornings. |