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Bourbeuse River (Missouri), Union (07016500)

State	Missouri	Latest	Good (504 cfs)
River	Bourbeuse River	Rating	Observed	Estimated
Updated	2026-08-13 7:30 (43 minutes ago)	Flood - The river is flooding. Obstacles can be treacherous or deadly. The river should be avoided at this stage for casual trips and definitely for the inexperienced. Trips should be attempted only with protective gear and equipment.Flood	(none)	3315
Discharge	504 cfs (median: 70 cfs)	High - The river is high and potentially dangerous, especially for the young and / or inexperienced. Normal stream obstacles are sometimes difficult to navigate. Extended distances can be attempted, but canoe travel may not be advisable.High	(none)	964
Height	3.96 feet	Good - Conditions are ideal for a canoe or kayak. Boats typically will drag on fewer than one-quarter of riffles, if at all, and portages are unnecessary or rare. Normal float lengths can be attempted without a problem.Good	(none)	359
Trend	Steady (falling over 24 hours)	Low - River is low but can still be floated. Some riffles are okay but most come with significant dragging and might need a portage. Float lengths should be reduced to accommodate low flow, dragging, and portages.Low	(none)	215
USGS	USGS Site ( Duck Duck Go Maps)	Poor - River is too low to float comfortably. Most or all riffles will drag or must be portaged and some obstacles (such as slick shelf rock) cause undue problems. Avoid the river at this stage for casual paddling trips.Poor	(none)	70

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Trips for Bourbeuse River (Missouri), Union (07016500)

	Date	Start	End	Distance	Condition	Discharge	Height	Fishing	Details
	2020-07-12	Mill Rock Ford	Wenkel Ford	Total trip distance: 7.0 miles7.0	Good	293	2.54	Good	LMB SMB Bray, Matt McCullough, Brayden No notes for this trip USGS Gauge Data: Union (07016500) Discharge: 293 Height: 2.54 Source: Bray
	2025-07-20	Peter's Ford	Devil's Back Floats	Total trip distance: 7.0 miles7.0	Good	191	3.27	Poor	None Scholten, Cameron Scholten, Chris Scholten, Emily Scholten, Patty This was a four-person, two-canoe float, outfitted through Devil's Back Floats. Their canoes are Osagian aluminum canoes and, despite what their website says, they don't have kayaks available, they have 12' Osagian aluminum pack canoes. The shuttle to the put in was two miles in the bed of a farm truck. It was unconventional but it works. One person fished, no fish were caught. I didn't expect much, not the best time of year for fishing, and it was very hot. About 0.4 miles into the float, the river split around a large island. The right side is deeper and easier. If water levels permit, I recommend the left side, as it's the prettiest section of the river. On our trip, right at the fork we had to get out and drag over some riffles, but outside of that, it was fine. I'd still recommend this route with lower water, the cliffs are worth some light portaging. For the first section, there will be bluffs on the left. Once you start seeing steeper terrain / bluffs on the right side, you have about three miles left. The last two miles are wider and slower so you'll definitely have to paddle this section. You may start to see power boats in this section. We encountered two power boats. Crowds were practically nonexistent. We encountered maybe ten other paddlers total. Keep in mind, this was on a Sunday with a heat index of 105oF. This section of the river is relatively undeveloped. There was only one house visible from the river. There were a couple times we were close enough to houses that we could hear lawn mowers, but couldn't see them. Trashwise, it wasn't terrible, but not pristine. We saw a few tires, and some general trash and debris that had been caught up in prior floods. At one point, you come within 200 feet of Devil's Back Floats. You may even hear cars or people at the campground but you're still over two miles from the access. It's a very meandering river! Overall, the float was enjoyable. The Meramec is not far away, and a better float all around, but if you live near by, this is a fine way to spend a day. Just be ready to paddle. USGS Gauge Data: Union (07016500) Discharge: 191 Height: 3.27 Source: Scholten

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Trip Summary for Bourbeuse River (Missouri), Union (07016500)

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