Chattahoochee, |
|
| Name | Range | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AT ATLANTA, GA | 850 - 20000 cfs | 01h27m | 14500 cfs (rc= 0.7 ) |
|
|||
Optimal Levels: 2500 cfs and up.
The cement and wood stairs in the
main channel at the put-in are a good gauge. If all the stairs are out of the water the river
can be considered low. This usually corresponds to about 900 cfs.
If you see exposed dirt below the stairs, then the river is too low.
At 2000 cfs the bottom cement step is underwater. This would be a low, but not scrapy level.
Rafts would not be getting hung up on rocks at this level.
3 stairs underwater is about optimal.
This is about 3500 cfs. At this level there is some good surfing to be found.
At 5000 cfs all the rocks in the river are underwater. Lots of good sidesurfing holes. Short
boats can get vertical. The only eddies are in the backwash of holes.
If the takeout parking lot is
underwater, then consider the river high. This occurs around 12,000 cfs.
Morgan Falls Dam is the primary feeder for this stretch. Release info for Morgan Falls Dam: 404-329-1455. When Morgan Falls is releasing the water can get very cold, very quickly. Don't be suprised if the river becomes blanketed in a thick fog.
Buford Dam at Lake Lanier is 40 or so
miles upstream. Normal releases from Buford do not directly affect paddling levels on this
section; CONTINUAL releases do.
Buford Dam info number: 770-945-1466
RIVER DESCRIPTION:
At the river left put-in you have two options. Closest to the parking lot is a channel with some
flatwater slalom gates. A variety of olympic calibre paddlers have practiced at these gates. The
drain at the lower end of the channel is under the interstate bridge and sometimes gets
temporarily jammed up with wood. As of summer 2008 this channel is impassable.
On the other side of Powers Island is the main channel of the Hooch. There is usually a mild
current here which is good for warmup.
Just below the put-in is the Interstate 285 bridge over the river. On river right there is a very
small wave hole under the bridge which is a good place for novices to practice surfing. After
this is a long stretch of flatwater.
Next up is a riverwide series of small ledges. At flows over 1500 cfs the best surfing is on
river left. Most of the flow goes far right through a class II chute with good eddies on both
sides.
A few hundred yards beyond, the second set of ledges is rocky with a fast chute down the middle
and a number of good eddies to the sides. Known locally as the "Devil's Racecourse", this is a
very good place for novices to practice swiftwater ferrys and eddys. At higher flows most of the
rocks disappear underwater; follow the flow left of center. The pool on river left at the bottom
of the chute is great for roll practice.
Below the pool the river is divided by an island. Most of the water goes down the left side of
the island and forms a nice wavetrain with a couple of surfable holes. Eddy behind the island and
ferry far right across some more small islands and ledges to get to a park service picnic area,
with restrooms. This is a very scenic spot and probably the best choice of lunch stop on this
section; also is a good place to hike out if necessary - follow the downriver trail uphill to get
back to civilization. On river left across the pool is the diving rock, obvious in the summer by
the presence of locals diving into the river from the higher of the two cliffs. The lower cliff
makes a fun seal launch for kayakers.
After this the river bends to the left and goes over the third series of ledges. This set is
similar to the first; most of the flow going far right, but there are plenty of alternate routes
down. The abundant rocks create many small playspots. About this time the odor of sewage
sometimes drifts over the river. That lovely odor comes from a vent pipe about 50 feet back in
the woods on river right. There is an underground sewage line that runs next to the last half of
the run on river right.
As the river takes a right bend and the I-75 bridge comes into view there will be a strong eddy
with a clean eddy line on river right at medium flows. This is a great playspot for the local
squirt boaters, and a great place to learn mystery moves.
Just above the I-75 bridge there is a large obvious rock 30 feet off the right bank of the river.
I don't recommend splatting the upstream side of the rock, but it does have a great eddyline for
stern squirts. Class III-IV Rottenwood Creek (see AW reach #497) enters the river just below this
point.
On river right just below the bridge is a little drop running right to left that may have some
wood in it but is otherwise fun to run. From this point down to the takeout, look for many more
small surfing ledges at normal water. The river starts fording out, getting more shallow and
gravelly.
The takeout is on the right about a half mile past the I-75 bridge. You can spot the end of the
concrete boat launch from a few hundred yards upriver, sticking out of the trees.
Map of the put-in: Powers
Island.
Map of the takeout: West
Palisades and Paces Mill.
East Palisades.
Map of the Chattahoochee River
National Recreation Area.
Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
How Polluted is the River??
Optimal Levels: 2500 cfs and up.
The cement and wood stairs in the main channel at the put-in are a good gauge. If all the stairs are out of the water the river can be considered low. This usually corresponds to about 900 cfs.
If you see exposed dirt below the stairs, then the river is too low.
At 2000 cfs the bottom cement step is underwater. This would be a low, but not scrapy level. Rafts would not be getting hung up on rocks at this level.
3 stairs underwater is about optimal. This is about 3500 cfs. At this level there is some good surfing to be found.
At 5000 cfs all the rocks in the river are underwater. Lots of good sidesurfing holes. Short boats can get vertical. The only eddies are in the backwash of holes.
If the takeout parking lot is underwater, then consider the river high. This occurs around 12,000 cfs.
Morgan Falls Dam is the primary feeder for this stretch. Release info for Morgan Falls Dam: 404-329-1455. When Morgan Falls is releasing the water can get very cold, very quickly. Don't be suprised if the river becomes blanketed in a thick fog.
Buford Dam at Lake Lanier is 40 or so miles upstream. Normal releases from Buford do not directly affect paddling levels on this section; CONTINUAL releases do.
Buford Dam info number: 770-945-1466
| Name | Range | Updated | Level | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER AT ATLANTA, GA | |||||||||
| usgs-02336000 | 850 - 20000 cfs | 01h27m | 14500 cfs (rc= 0.7 ) | ||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| When | River/Gauge | Subject | Level | Reporter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chatahoochee [ga] |
flooded road
|
23 feet | Bradford McArthur | |
| Chattahoochee6 - Metro Hooch - Powers Ferry to West Pallisades/Paces Mill [ ] |
Metro Hooch Map
|
n/a | Steve Reach | |
| Chattahoochee [GA] |
Metro Hooch
|
920 cfs | Brad Roberts | |
| 1y65d17h44m | @Chattahoochee 6 - Metro Hooch - Powers Ferry to West Pallisades/Paces Mill [GA] |
lunch stop
|
n/a | |
| 1y121d17h47m | @Chattahoochee 6 - Metro Hooch - Powers Ferry to West Pallisades/Paces Mill [GA] |
Account of 09/17/09
|
n/a | |
| 3y150d00h11m | Metro Hooch [GA] |
Steve's Squirt
|
Normal | Todd McGinnis |
| 3y362d00h11m | Chattahoochee [GA] |
Metro Hooch Third Ledge
|
Low | Steve Reach |
| 6y333d00h11m | Metro Hooch [GA] |
Metro Hooch put-in
|
low | will reeves |
| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Put - In |  | |
| 0.6 | First Ledge | II+ |  |
| 0.7 | The Eddy | | |
| 0.8 | Second Set of Ledges | II+ | |
| 1.0 | The Island | II | |
| 1.3 | The Dive Rock |   | |
| 1.4 | Third Set of Ledges | II | |
| 1.8 | The Squirt Spot | | |
| 1.8 | Whitewater Creek Access | | |
| 2.5 | The Big Rock | | |
| 3.5 | The Take Out |  |
River Alert
State News
River Links
NWRI - Chattahoochee 6 - Metro Hooch - Powers Ferry to West Pallisades/Paces Mill (mobile)
User Comments
out (http://ga2.er.usgs.gov/bacteria/default.cfm). Edit
an item for private boaters depending on where they shuttle you to. Ludicrous.
soon in a canoe and if anyone is interested we could take 2 vehicles and leave one at the takout.
Hit me up at stodge@comcast.net. Jeremy Edit
took a crowbar or something and pried the locks out of the cars. they obviously knew what they were
doing. the cops have had this problem before. and are working on finding the culprits. my
suggestion is to park on the river right side of the river as the parking lot has more activity and
is less hidden. Edit
of Whitewater Creek Rd (see the East Palisades map). This is just upstream of the I-75 bridge. From
here it is a short paddle upstream to 3rd ledge.
"http://www.southernco.com/gapower/hydro/mfp.asp?mnuOpco=&mnuType=&mnuItem=">Morgan Falls
Dam</a> will have any effect on boating this river.
for one, have paddled the Hooch in all conditions and have never gotten sick. There is also no
reason to believe that infection is a greater risk on this river than on other GA rivers. The
"HIGH" risk warnings are a classic example of exaggerating risk, and could have been replaced by a
simple warning that when the water is high and brown, it is likely to be dirty and certain to be
more dangerous for swimming.
I went out just after the heavy rain from Francis and Ivan and it was quite a blast. Ivan was by
far the wildest I've ever seen the river, 6-8' holes just north or the Jumping Rock at Sandy Creek.
On Friday the 17th the river was somethign special. My trip was a bit soured by 2 rookies that I
happened to see fall out and I spent a good bit of time getting them safely to shore. But they made
it. We even managed to save one of their boats. If you're in the market for a $200 red Galyans
kayak, the other one is somewhere still in the river. Anyhow, the river is back to normal to high
levels now, went out again today check out how the river has changed. Just south of the Palisades
stay to the far left and there are some new cuts and changes in some old ones. I just found this
site and its cool to have somewhere to talk about it. Taker easy.
From: "Jimmy" <whitehtwoo@y...>
Date: Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:47 pm
Subject: Metro Hooch at 22 ft
ADVERTISEMENT
How often do you get the chance to paddle the chocolate milk colored
water of the Metro Hooch at 22ft? Not since, well... today. Which
was my reasoning behind doing it. My buddy Jamie and I put in at
Powers Island just after noon. The water was at the bottom of the
walking bridge over the inlet and there were 2 dry steps at the
river. As we approached the 285 bridge, there were a few honks from
passing cars above.. I'm going to assume they were meant for
encouragement.
Lots of boilers and funky currents under the bridge and a small wave
train on the right, nothing really worth stopping for. About 100
yards down and around the bend, we could see the first set of shoals
and they were raging. We pulled over by the Riverside apartments
platform and planned our route. River right seemed the best bet,
doesn't hurt to be close to shore if need be.
Things were bouncy for the next 50 yards... and at Devil's Race
Course the waves grew to about 5 feet and were coming from all
directions. I got caught between one coming sideways and another
cresting right in front of me. It flipped me over (yuk!) and the
current started pulling me to the bottom of the river... upside
down. I tried to hit my roll, but couldn't get the paddle out of the
water fast enough before I started sinking. I had to punch out and
spend the next 20 yards floating to the shore. I collected my boat
and paddle, dumped out and met Jamie a few yards downstream.
Everything else from then on was a little pushy, but for the most
part washed out. The Palisades take-out ramp was completely
underwater and we ended up paddling all the way to the far end of
the parking lot, just before it hits 41.
jeep cherokee with very dark tinted windows, as that was the vehicle driven by the person who broke
into my car at the takeout of this run last week. If you see a car like this parked away from all
of the other cars in the lot, try to get the license plate number and call it in to the rangers of
the park, as this vehicle has been implicated in several of the recent breakins at this park. Be
good to bag this guy so that cars left in these lots can be a bit safer again.
First ledge. The hole on the lower left is really big. It looks friendly, but you would have to
drop it from above, and we've been skirting it. There is no good eddy to look at it before you drop
it, and if you miss it you are on to the next wave/hole. The midstream ledges are awesome!! Surfing
everywhere. Holes, waves of all types and descriptions. Most of them are one shot deals, but if you
don't catch the one you are going for, be heads up and there will be another close by. After that
is a good breath catching stretch of flatwater. Which leads the second set of ledges :-) Best
surfing is top right, then start working to the middle. In the bottom middle of the channel are two
large holes. The top one is more of a cool, but really big breaking wave. Its good to go. Behind
that is a full blown hole. I've seen it played in, but not often. The eddy lines here at this level
are big, boily, and mobile. Just below hole #2 is the only eddy you will come to midstream. Take a
breather. More surfing is just below to either side of the island. The best hole is directly
between the eddy and the island, but its hard to see until you get close. From there work back to
the right of the island and grab whatever hole you can drop. At this water level I was perferring
the faster boat over the spud for making the moves. (but the spud rocked once you made the
moves).
Below the island it flatten out until you get to the next ledges. The next set, start right of
center, then start working right. Once again, drop anything you can. No eddies - so all the holes
are one shot deals. On the right, where there is flatwater, is a nice big surfing wave. Once again
a one shot deal.
Then things flatten out for a bit. Next thing is the squirt spot. Nice wave beside the eddy. Long
boats can ender, short boats can throw multiple ends. The wave beside the eddy is finicky.
The big VW sized boulder is very close to covered at 8000 cfs. Great eddyline for squirts and such.
Below that is the I-75 bridge. The bridge is a hoot. Boiling eddy line. Marching and moving eddy
fences. There is a great wave toward the bottom left with a good bridge piling eddy. Surfing the
pillow above the top pilings is fun, but sketch.
Below the bridge is a great wave on the right. Another once shot catch on the fly deal. There is a
tempting wave below this one, but stay away, its made by a rootball and backed by 75 feet of
underwater strainer. Below this is mostly flatwater, with two or three smaller waves before you get
to the takeout. At this level the water will be mostly runoff. Rolling and swimming is not
recommended.
Which is also about the level the National Park Service locks the gates to the take-out. Not a
problem for boaters, just paddle across the parking lot and hike up the hill to the parking area
outside the park.