Low water, autumn 2026
Recorded
The dry end of summer ran long this year. By early October most of the gauges we pass were reading lower than at any point in the last three seasons, and the river had pulled back from banks that small boats usually rely on.
What the gauges showed
Readings fell steadily through September and settled in the second week of October. The lowest entries came after a run of clear, cold mornings with no rain upstream. A short wet spell at the end of the month lifted the levels a little, but not enough to undo the season.
What it meant on the water
- Two familiar landing stages stood clear of the water and could not be used.
- Shallow bends that are normally easy needed a slower line and a lookout at the bow.
- Lock keepers worked shorter cycles to save water; expect to wait longer at the busier locks.
What we changed in the notes
Affected landing stages are marked seasonal until a spring reading confirms them again. Depth remarks for the shallow bends now carry the date of the reading rather than a general figure. Nothing has been rounded to look tidier than it was.
Next review
After the spring thaw, when the gauges have settled. Corrections from crews who passed this autumn are welcome at rivers@harbor-lumen.com.