James, |
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| Name | Range | Updated | Level |
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| JAMES RIVER NEAR RICHMOND, VA | 4.00 - 9.00 ft | 00h39m | 4.47 ft (rc= 0.1 ) |
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This section of the James is a good for beginners and intermediate paddles looking to work on improving skills at normal or lower levels (6ft and under).
At high water (above 9th) great play features come in. The difficulty does increase but the rapids are manageable. If you are a good class III boater with a solid roll you should have no problem paddling the upper at higher levels, go around the big holes
There's some good info in Menko.com, including a map
We have no additional information about how various flows affect runnability (or playability) of this section of river. If you can provide additional information, please either directly contact the StreamTeam member for this reach, or add a 'comment' or a 'report' with your information to help out your fellow boaters.
| Name | Range | Updated | Level | ||||||
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| JAMES RIVER NEAR RICHMOND, VA | |||||||||
| usgs-02037500 | 4.00 - 9.00 ft | 00h39m | 4.47 ft (rc= 0.1 ) | ||||||
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No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. | Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| -0.8 | Z-Dam | III+ |   |
| 0.0 | Pony Pasture | II |  |
| 1.0 | Powhite Ledges | II | |
| 1.3 | Choo Choo | II+ | |
| 1.4 | Below Choo Choo | II | |
| 1.8 | Mitchell's Gut | II+ |
Z-Dam or Z-Spot is a fish ladder cut into a low-head dam and creates a great play spots at select levels. The best low levels are 5.2ft to 5.5ft, below this level it gets pretty sticky and when higher it becomes hard to stay in the hole. At the right level this is one of the best play spots in Virginia, Loops and cartwheels are the major moves. There is eddy service on both sides of the hole. Be very careful of the low-head dam when in the eddy, it will try to pull you in. At high levels 10ft to 15ft a taller wave develops with a foam pile, but there is no eddy service. The best play at high water is on river left use portage trail to get back to the top for this great wave. Stay away from the middle of the dam at all levels.
Chew Chew lunch beach below Choo Choo rapid The shore of the river right eddy mentioned above is a primo sandy beach and the eddy itself is a great swimming hole or roll practice spot.
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NWRI - James 4. Upper James into Richmond (mobile)
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