Paddles up when the Kennebec rises!
Photo credit: Three Rivers Whitewater. Mark your calendars; here are Maine’s Kennebec River High Water Release Dates for the 2024 paddling season! The Kennebec River has only 4 special high water releases each year, with flows of 8,000+cfs. That’s almost DOUBLE the normal release flows!
The Kennebec River features 12 miles of incredible scenic beauty, fast water, and big, fun wave trains. Kennebec River high water release turbine tests create BIG, aggressive whitewater for a high-adventure trip you’ll never forget! Experience big water and waves in class II-V whitewater on the action-packed, scenic Kennebec!
Take on rapids like Taster, Rock Garden, and the class IV Big Mama (aka Three Sisters) with 6-8 foot waves within your first mile. Next, you’ll hit class IV Alleyway and Z-Turn, then Maytag and the infamous Magic Falls! After Magic, you tackle the last two sets of class III-IV rapids, Carry Brook and Black Brook. Then, the intensity of the Kennebec drops out and the river becomes perfect for floating or swimming!
2024 Kennebec River High Water Release Dates & Water Levels
Most releases from Harris Station stop at 1 pm. From May 1st through Columbus Day, the daily release will be a minimum of 4,800 cfs from 10 am to 1 pm, except some Saturdays and Sundays which include:
June 15th through September 15th, every Saturday from 1 pm to 3 pm, the minimum release will be 2,400 cfs, plus four special Sunday releases of 2,400 cfs, highlighted in blue below.
Four special high water releases of 8,000 cfs from 10 am to 1 pm are highlighted in red below.
June 8th (Saturday)
Turbine Test Release
8,000 cfs
Class III-V Rapids
June 15th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
June 22nd (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
June 29th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
July 6th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
July 8th (Monday)
Turbine Test Release
8,000 cfs
Class III-V Rapids
July 13th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
July 14th (Sunday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
July 20th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
July 27th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 3rd (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 4th (Sunday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 10th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 11th (Sunday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 17th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 24th (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
August 31st (Saturday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
September 7th (Saturday)
Turbine Test Release
8,000 cfs
Class III-V Rapids
September 8th (Sunday)
Afternoon Release 1-3 pm
2,400 cfs
Class III-IV Rapids
September 14th (Saturday)
Turbine Test Release
8,000 cfs
Class III-V Rapids