Black - 5. Route 3 Wave


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5. Route 3 Wave

Class II

Route 3 Wave


Route 3 Wave
Photo of Kathy Rombach, Sharon Heller, Bubba and DJ O'Neill

Gauge Information

Name Range Updated Level
BLACK RIVER AT WATERTOWN NY 800 - 5000 cfs 01h24m 3550 cfs (rc= 0.7 )


River Description

Update as of 7/12/07: This playspot is back!

Sort of.

According to a recent comment (click the "Comments" tab), a rock got dislodged and took away the wave on or before 6/21/08.

However, on July 12, locals removed the rock during the annual Black River Cleanup. Read about it here.

A post on the Northeast Paddlers' Massage Board says that there's still some rock-activated diversion, which means that the water's faster than before and the wave is accessible only from the river-right eddy. But...The Wave is Baaaaaaaack.

We'll keep you updated.

This is a popular after-work park-n-playspot for locals who don't have time to run the whole Black. The other great p-n-p is just below the putin on the main Black, at Hole Brothers.

This is also the site of a controversial proposal to alter the riverbed in order to provide a hole/wave that'll be attractive to high-level playdogs and international competitions. Some paddlers are concerned that messing with the riverbed might ruin a good thing; others believe that improving the playspot will give a jumpstart to efforts to improve water quality all over this historically abused, urbanized stream.

There are two putins to this p-n-p (the coordinates for which are listed below, as the putin and takeout): either park at Waterworks Park on Huntington St., hike down a longish trail and paddle upstream to the wave, or park off Rte. 3 (off Huntington St., just South of where Rte. 3 crosses the river), walk across the rocky dam runout and paddle downstream a short bit to your play. (See the map.)


StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2009-05-27 21:39:44

The Usual Suspects

Detail Trip Report Edit  The Usual Suspects  Black River, NY(851.83KB .jpeg)

Route 3 Wave

Detail Trip Report Edit  Route 3 Wave  Black, NY(30.00KB .jpeg)

Bubba Jibbin on the Route 3 Wave

Detail Trip Report Edit  Bubba Jibbin on the Route 3 Wave  Black River, NY(63.12KB .jpeg)

TwinTip c-1

Detail Trip Report Edit  TwinTip c-1  Black, NY(4.88MB .wmv)

Rte. 3 wave Birds eye view

Detail Trip Report Edit  Rte. 3 wave Birds eye view  Black River, NY(331.63KB .jpeg)

Rte 3 wave Birds eye view

Detail Trip Report Edit  Rte 3 wave Birds eye view  Black River, NY(470.47KB .jpeg)

Another birds eye

Detail Trip Report Edit  Another birds eye  Black River, NY(407.10KB .jpeg)

Black, Route 3 wave

Detail Trip Report Edit  Black, Route 3 wave  Black, ny(104.07KB .jpeg)

3Wave Issue

Detail Trip Report Edit  3Wave Issue  Black, NY(415.25KB .jpeg)

3Hole2005

Detail Trip Report Edit  3Hole2005  Black, NY(2.55MB .mov)


Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

Recommended minimum from Steve Kittelberger of the F.L.O.W. Paddlers' Club.

The wave is best under 2000 cfs.

Gauge Information

Name Range Updated Level
BLACK RIVER AT WATERTOWN NY
usgs-04260500 800 - 5000 cfs 01h24m 3550 cfs (rc= 0.7 )

RangeWater LevelComment
800.0000-5000.0000 barely runnable-high runnable

Report - Reports of Black 5. Route 3 Wave and related gauges

Reports give the public a chance to report on river conditions throughout the country as well as log the history of a river.

Reports

When River/Gauge Subject Level Reporter
Black [NY] 3Wave Issue 1800cfs? Kevin Nasman
Black [ny] Black, Route 3 wave 1800 cfs simon wiles
Black [NY] Route 3 Wave n/a Sharon Heller
2y70d13h54m Black River [NY] The Usual Suspects ? John Alden
5y85d21h54m Black [NY] TwinTip c-1 n/a Dale Perry
7y119d21h54m Black River [NY] Another birds eye n/a Christopher Wagener
8y117d21h54m Black River [NY] Bubba Jibbin on the Route 3 Wave n/a Sharon Heller

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New York Exposed: The Whitewater State, Volume 1
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User Comments


2009-09-29 05:01:44 (40 days ago)
Dan's estimate may be a bit high for those looking to throw moves. The wave will begin to hold you
at around 2500, but the wave doesn't seem to be retentive enough for freestyle moves until 1800 or
so. When you are on the wave there are boils that appear just left of center which seem to be
killing the foam pile. Hopefully whatever small rock has washed in upstream will clear back out
this fall, till then Hole Brother's is the place to be. Edit

2009-06-17 02:58:15 (144 days ago)
Dan CashDetails
The wave is intact from the spring high water. Though the AW range of good levels is a bit off. I
would wait until the river drops below 3000 before you even think about making the drive. Today the
river is between 2500-2700 and the crash is just beginning to form. I went out last week at around
2200 and it was near perfect for wave surfing.

2008-10-08 01:22:24 (396 days ago)
I surfed route three last week at 1900 and it was awesome, nice shoulder easy access and a sweet
foam pile in the middle the wave is back Edit

2008-07-09 08:09:05 (487 days ago)
As of 7/4/08 the rock is still there. Can someone in Watertown area give us an update, and pester
the town to pull that rock out of there! Edit

2008-06-22 12:53:10 (503 days ago)
Just an FYI... I was at the route 3 wave yesterday 6/21/08. Apparently a table sized rock has
lodged itself just upstream of the wave completely distorting it. The town is apparently trying to
remove it but the wave is pretty much un-surfable at this time. Dang floods... Edit
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Rapid Descriptions

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