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Key
Put In Put In
MKC MKC
Take Out Take Out

Madawaska river, Middle **

View Madawaska river, Middle in a larger map.
Key
  • Grade: 3
  • Level: 40 cumecs is a good fun level. The normal summer release (Monday-Thursday, 0900 - 1530) is 26 cumecs.
  • Gauge: There is an online gauge now, maintained by Shaggy Designs. OPG posts a weekly plan of the outflow from Bark lake Online.
  • Length: 4.1 km
  • Time: 1 hour
  • Put In: Bark lake Dam, or Siberia road bridge
  • Take Out: Eddy on the right at the base of the last rapid, or in Mud bay on the left
  • Shuttle: 7.3km
  • Character: Relatively easy section with lots of eddies and features to practice on. Home of the world-renowned Madawaska Kanu Centre (MKC)

The middle Madawaska is the short section between Bark lake and Kamaniskeg lake. It has guaranteed flows during the week, and great for brushing up on technique, or practicing your slalom moves.

There are a couple of easy rapids above the Siberia road bridges, and Staircase rapid a short distance downstream. This has a series of stoppers that are easily punched or avoided in normal flows but can get quite large when the river is high. Chalet rapid next usually has slalom gates hung by MKC, and has several eddies and waves to play on. Several more easy rapids follow, separated by flat pools.

Stef McArdle on Chalet rapid
Stef McArdle on Chalet rapid

To get to the take out; From Barry's Bay on Highway 60, turn south on Siberia road (signposted MKC), and take the first left after crossing the river. This is Kamaniskeg lake road. A few kilometres down the road, there is a track on the left through the woods. This doesn't have a green number sign and there are no buildings there. The last rapid is visible from the clearing.

To get to the put in; Go back to Siberia road and turn right. Either get in at the bridge (turn left just before the bridge), or continue over the bridge, up the hill and turn left towards the Dam at the OPG sign (Bark lake dam road). There is also access down to Chalet rapid near MKC, and Mud bay from River road, off Siberia road just north of the bridge.