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Forspaddling i Uppsala

When Water Level in Our Local Paddling Paradise Are Rising it means we can start paddling!😊

Let me introduce you to the web resource we use to evaluate paddling conditions.
Here is the main webpage:
http://www.fyris-on-line.nu/

You can check:

For some reason, I tend to use water level more often (even though it's not the standard approach in kayaking). But feel free to use whichever metric works best for you. The correlation graph between water level and discharge is on the picture below.

Paddling Conditions in Fyrisån

OBS! Please note that all the information provided here is based on the "winter scale," which is used from approximately the beginning of October to mid-May. The "summer scale" typically shows water levels 0.2m higher than the winter scale and can be misleading (kan vara missvisande).

We can paddle Fyrisån, both Kvarnfallet and Islandsfallet, at a water level of 0.4m and higher (7m³/s and more). It takes 15–25 minutes to paddle to the city center.

0.4 – 0.5m (7–12 m³/s): Easy and beginner-friendly. A nice, easy run with no major hazards—except for debris in the river (bikes and scooters).

  • Kvarnfallet:

    • You can easily take the eddy directly to the right from the long "tongue" at the corner of the waterfall.

    • Play with the current, cross the "tongue," and surf the second wave on the left side of the central corner.

    • The next eddy is after the museum (river right, near the restaurant Tzatziki).

    • Take out at one of the stairs 200m down, or after Islandsfallet.

  • Islandsfallet:

    • A straightforward, easy run.

    • Not extremely exciting, but it can be fun for kids if we have several adults to set up safety.

0.5 – 0.7m (12–26 m³/s): Great for training, a good challenge for beginners

  • Kvarnfallet:

    • Similar to the previous level, but faster and more challenging.

    • You can still catch the right eddy, even if you run left from the tongue.

    • Surfing the second wave left of the tongue is fun but less stable (especially in a creek boat).

    • A small, unstable wave near Tzatziki starts to work, and you can try to catch the eddy back.

    • After Tzatziki, there’s a nice wave train with small waves.

  • Islandsfallet:

    • Most interesting at this level! The first wave forms a curler, shifting you to the center (if you have good skills).

    • There’s a big hole in the center—potentially good for surfing, but difficult to reach. (Example video)

    • At 0.6m, this hole sucked me back and flipped my big creeker! 😉

    • Otherwise, you can practice boofing and paddling against the current.

0.7 – 0.9m (25–50 m³/s): Fast and fun! For stable intermediate kayakers with a solid roll in turbulent water

  • Kvarnfallet:

    • You can boof off the tongue at this level! (Example video, 0.85m ~40–45m³/s)

    • If you want to take the right eddy, go through the center of the tongue or cross from left to right.

    • The right eddy at the waterfall is wild and unpleasant—can contain debris and branches.

    • The wave at Tzatziki gets bigger and faster, making it harder to catch the eddy back if you fail, and there is also a wave under the next bridge (Example video of both)

  • Islandsfallet:

    • The first wave flattens out.

    • It’s fun to jump into the central hole after it, like Anna did! (Example video, ~0.7m, 25m³/s).

    • The short, fast run makes it easy to do multiple laps if you want.

0.9m (50m³/s and higher): Wild and turbulent! Not for beginners!

  • Kvarnfallet:

  • Islandsfallet:

    • I don’t remember exactly, but here’s an old video at 0.9m ~50m³/s: Video link

⚠️ IMPORTANT! ⚠️

Fyrisån is a classic urban river! Even if the water levels and rapids seem safe for your skill level, be prepared for unexpected strainers, debris, and other hazards caused by human negligence.

🚨 Always scout the rapids before your first run! 🚨

Stay safe & have fun! 🚣‍♂️🔥