Mile 867.0 - Miles 867-861: RBD Bar of Island No 13

867 - 861 RBD Bar of Island No 13

Below Cherokee the river rolls into a distinctive S-shape formed by Little Cypress Bend revolving 180 degrees westward, followed by the Chute of Island 14, which revolves 180 degrees eastward. Total distance through the big S is around 15 miles. Low-lying bar of Island No 13 fans outwards from Cherokee around the entire perimeter of Little Cypress Bend. A giant blue hole forms below the 1st dike. You could stop for swimming and picnicking in low water, but this is also a popular spot for 4-wheelers. Most of the bar goes completely under in medium water, around 25CG, and no sand will be found except along the steep inside banks, but this not recommended for camping due to presence of hunting lodge and frequent human visitation. Best campsite for paddlers would be the bottom of Island No 13 Bar six miles downstream (Joe Eckles Towhead) where a high shelf of sand is found bank left around mile 861.5 that doesn’t go under until high water 30CG.

Caruthersville Gage (CuG) Water Levels Caruthersville to Memphis:

At this point in Rivergator we will leave the Cairo Gage (CG) and switch to the Caruthersville Gage which we’ll denote as “CuG.” All river levels will refer to the Lower Mississippi and Ohio River Forecast, which can be seen online at:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/?n=lmrfc-mississippiandohioriverforecast

This guide will try and describe all important landings and islands and openings to lakes using three water levels, low water, medium water and high water. The next designation would be flood stage (FS) or above. This guide will make few if any descriptions of anything on the Mississippi at or above flood stage, at which level conditions become too dangerous for most paddlers. This guide will make strong recommendations for not paddling on the Mississippi at or above flood stage.

Referring to the Caruthersville Gauge (CuG)

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/?n=lmrfc-mississippiandohioriverforecast

Low Water = 0 to 15 CuG

Medium Water = 15 to 25 CuG

High Water = 25 to 32 CuG

Flood Stage = 32 CuG and above

In the Caruthersville area you can use the following scale to gauge water flowing over dikes, although some dikes vary in height. Also some have been “notched” in recent years as result there will be a middle notch that you can paddle through at much lower levels of water, some places down to 0 Caruthersville Gauge.

Using the Caruthersville Gage:

1-10 - water flowing through notches only

10CuG - rocks still exposed on all dikes

10-11 dikes starting to go under, some flow through breaks & low spots

13 dikes completely under, but little flow

15-20CuG good flow and lots of boils & turbulence

20CuG strong flow, turbulence, no dikes exposed anywhere

28CuG river bank full

>32CuG Flood Stage.

Warning: above flood stage 32 CuG paddlers are advised to stay off the river. Limited access. Most landings and approach roads will be underwater. Most islands will be gone. No easy camping. All sandbars will be covered. Fast waters with many hazards. All islands and landings will be surrounded by flooded forests full of snags, strainers, sawyers and all other dangerous conditions associated with floodwater moving through trees. Docks, wharves, dikes and any other man-made objects will create strong whirlpools, violent boils, and fast eddies. Towboats will create large waves. The Rivergator will not describe the river and its islands at any levels above flood stage.