About

Boundary Waters Outfitters is a kayak & canoe livery in Ely. The outfitter provides full and partial outfitting for trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and Quetico Park, with options for guided trips, fishing trips, and family trips. Trips can range from one to ten or more days, with diverse canoe routes available directly from their docks or from various Ely area BWCA entry points.

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Around Boundary Waters Outfitters

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Before you go

PermitBoundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Reservations)

Data Source: Recreation.gov · Source: USGS GNIS · Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database (NRCan), Open Government Licence - Canada · Public land: USGS PAD-US

Typical flow by month

1952 to 2026

The water at Boundary Waters Outfitters typically runs highest in May, at a median 1,120 cfs, and lowest in March, at 119 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 5,110 cfs, in 1954.

Show the numbers

Typical flow by month at South Kawishiwi River near Ely, MN, in cfs
Month	Typical (cfs)	Usual range (cfs)
January	172	124 to 214
February	145	110 to 159
March	119	98 to 142
April	279	195 to 860
May	1,120	625 to 1,660
June	636	388 to 957
July	356	217 to 608
August	165	115 to 266
September	142	73 to 303
October	161	82 to 392
November	229	159 to 359
December	204	138 to 293

Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 36 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for South Kawishiwi River near Ely, MN (site 05125000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.

Current conditions

Today · Fri

63Maybe/ 100

High 38°F

CloudyHigh 38°F, low 31°FRain 0%Wind 5 kt, gusts 16

Streamflow

541 cfs

Above normal (82nd)

Water level

3.37 ft

Air quality

5 Good

Ely monitor, 19 km

National Weather ServiceBelow flood stage

Flood stage 6.5 ft. NWS reads 3.36 ft here.

NWS issues forecasts here only during high water.

Forecast from Open-Meteo global models (NOAA & ECMWF). Flood stages and forecasts: NOAA National Weather Service. Air quality: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency via EPA AirNow. Preliminary data, not verified.