Potomac River - Great Falls (VA Lines)


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Great Falls (VA Lines)

Usual Difficulty V+ (may vary with level)
Length 1 Miles
Avg. Gradient 100 fpm
Max Gradient 500 fpm

2nd Descent of the Spout


2nd Descent of the Spout
Photo of Bill Kirby by Rick Freimuth

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA
usgs-01646500 2.80 - 3.20 ft V+ 00h35m 3.97 ft (rc= 8.7 )


River Description

This reach description was borrowed/adapted from the WorldKayak.com river wiki.

Overview
Great Falls of the Potomac River is a major set of rapids located about 15 miles upstream of Washington, DC. The main Falls lines drop fifty feet in one-tenth of a mile, creating a Class V+ set of waterfalls. In addition, a portion of the river flows around Olmstead Island in a channel called the Fish Ladder (additional channels flow at higher water).
History
Paddlers have known about Great Falls as long as there has been whitewater kayaking. Many of the features -- such as the Spout, the Fingers, the Fish Ladder -- have names that predate paddling, in some cases by hundreds of years. But it was not until paddlers started running waterfalls regularly in the 1970s that paddlers began to seriously consider running the Falls. The first descent of Great Falls was made in 1975 by local experts Tom McEwan and Wick Walker, with the second descent by Steve McConaughy and Great Falls National Park Ranger Bill Kirby.
Access
Access to the river is restricted on both the Maryland and Virginia sides.

Maryland Side - Paddlers may put in anywhere on the Maryland shore, but may not leave the boardwalk across Olmstead Island. To run the Falls from the Maryland side, most people put in above and run the aqueduct dam, or put in below the dam at higher levels.

Virginia Side - Paddlers may not put in upstream of the Falls. To run the Falls from the Virginia side you must put in at Fisherman's Eddy and then ferry and carry above both O-Deck rapid and the Falls themselves.

Carry up the Flake for multiple laps. If the rocks are wet, this can be sketchier than running the Falls.
Running Great Falls is currently unrestricted. However, to maintain good relations with the National Park Service paddlers voluntarily restrict their runs to less populated times in the park-early morning, late evening, or weekdays-and limit group size and time spent in the rapid.
The Park Service is concerned about running the Falls at popular times because it can draw spectators down off the observation decks and closer to the river's edge -- where they might fall in the water and drown. And, if paddlers spend a lot of time running around and relaxing in the Falls, it can give the impression that such activities are not very difficult or dangerous. Since 1975, at least 30 people have drowned in Great Falls, so the Park Service is understandably nervous about this.
For more information, see the Guidelines for Running Great Falls as written by the Canoe Cruisers Association in 1999. Today regular Falls runners continue to dialog with the Park Service to make sure access remains open to all.
River Signals and Helicopters
The Park Service patrols the Potomac with a helicopter most summer weekends. In an effort to minimize confusion, the helicopter pilots are trained to recognize three signals from paddlers.
  • Everything OK - Tap the top of your helmet with one hand.
  • Emergency - Wave both arms together over your head (like jumping jacks), holding brightly colored objects if possible.
  • Need Medical Attention - Form an X with arms or paddles.
Don't signal the helicopters unless you need them! And if being inspected, be sure to give the OK sign if you don't need assistance. Sometimes hikers call in "emergencies" that aren't actually emergencies.

StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: unknown

Editors

Stream Team Editor
Scott Anderson
Vienna, VA


The Spout

Detail Trip Report Edit  The Spout  Potomac River, MD(98.09KB .jpeg)

S-Turn

Detail Trip Report Edit  S-Turn  Potomac River, MD(150.23KB .jpeg)

2nd Descent of the Spout

Detail Trip Report Edit  2nd Descent of the Spout  Potomac River, MD(166.73KB .jpeg)

U-Hole

Detail Trip Report Edit  U-Hole  Potomac River, MD(114.98KB .jpeg)

Mike on Crack

Detail Trip Report Edit  Mike on Crack  Potomac River, MD(103.65KB .jpeg)

The Spout

Detail Trip Report Edit  The Spout  Potomac River, MD(150.22KB .jpeg)

U-Hole

Detail Trip Report Edit  U-Hole  Potomac River, MD(90.77KB .jpeg)

Spout

Detail Trip Report Edit  Spout  Potomac, MD(88.70KB .jpeg)


Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

The VA Lines are most commonly run between 2.9 and 3.1, but they can be run lower and much higher if you have enough skill and knowledge of the river.  The limiting factor is the Spout.  There's a rock behind the curtain called the Big Toe that comes into play as the level drops; one local shattered his elbow on it below 2.8.  Above 3.2 the hole at the base of the Spout gets beefy.


The gage is located at Little Falls (aka Brookmont) Dam, where the river is very wide.  Consequently, an inch on the gage can translate to a foot at Great Falls.  The gage is also 8-9 miles downstream, so if the river is rising or falling rapidly there could be a discrepancy between the gage reading and the actual level.  Scout the rapids visually if there is any doubt.  (You were going to do that anyway, right?)

USGS Potomac River / Little Falls Gage

NOAA Prediction for Little Falls Gage

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA
usgs-01646500 2.80 - 3.20 ft V+ 00h35m 3.97 ft (rc= 8.7 )

RangeWater LevelDifficultyComment
2.80 -2.90 ft barely runnable-med runnable V+
2.90 -3.10 ft med runnable-a bit pushy runnable V+
3.10 -3.20 ft perfect runnable-high runnable V+

Report - Reports of Potomac River Great Falls (VA Lines) 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
Potomac [MD] Spout n/a Potomac Pathways
Potomac River [MD] Mike on Crack n/a Scott Anderson
59d19h32m /POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA [MD] Account of 09/27/09 0.00 ft n/a
59d19h34m /POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA [MD] Account of 09/27/09 0 cfs n/a
2y147d12h18m Potomac River [MD] U-Hole 2.9 Scott Anderson

WXPort

News





icon of message 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.

User Comments
2009-08-19 01:58:10 (99 days ago)
In the comment below, I meant to say July 19, 2008---RF Edit
2009-08-19 01:56:30 (99 days ago)
On July 19, 2009, an attractive blonde lady took great pictures of me on the Spout (of Great Falls)
and promised to send them to me, but I never heard from her. This is probably a long shot, but if
anyone happens to run into her, or if she sees this, please send pictures to rjsfarmer@yahoo.com,
call me at 410-624-6421, or mail me at P.O. Box 41115 Baltimore, MD 21203. I was in an orange boat
with red or purple paddles, black lifejacket, and red helmet. Thanks---RF Edit
2008-10-27 10:04:35 (395 days ago)
Scott AndersonDetails
Thanks for your input. As the streamkeeper, I have to use my best judgment when listing river data.
The solutions aren't always ideal, but I will try to explain my rationale with regard to gradient.
"Please explain how a 1 mile stretch of river can have average gradient of 100 fpm and maximum
gradient of 500 fpm." The river drops 100 feet between the put-in and the take-out, which are 1
mile apart. So the average gradient is 100 fpm. However, the heart of the run drops 50 feet in 0.1
miles, for a maximum gradient of 500 fpm. "Maximum gradient figures cited 'up top' should always be
computed across a full mile, otherwise they are meaningless." Says who? There is no standard way to
calculate gradient. Leland Davis calculates gradient mile by mile in NC Rivers & Creeks, but
Stafford and McCutcheon use terms like "200 fpm," "200 fpm action," and "200 fpm crux" in The New
Testament. Which is right? Great Falls is a park and huck, so calculating gradient mile by mile
would be meaningless. Nobody puts in above Great Falls unless they plan on running it. They're not
there for the paddle in and the paddle out. The only section that counts is Great Falls itself,
which is 500 fpm. I would put "500 fpm crux" if I could, but the AW page builder doesn't give me
that option. Furthermore, removing the 500 fpm maximum gradient from 'up top' could mislead people
into thinking Great Falls is no steeper than the Upper Yough. "If you wish to convey that some
shorter portion has steeper gradient, you may express that within the text of the description..."
The description includes the following statement: "The main Falls lines drop fifty feet in
one-tenth of a mile." The reason I include the maximum gradient up top is that nobody reads the
description.
2008-10-08 03:17:05 (414 days ago)
Please explain how a 1-mile stretch of river can have average gradient of 100 FPM and maximum
gradient of 500 FPM. Maximum gradient figures cited 'up top' should always be computed across a
full mile, otherwise they are meaningless. If you wish to convey that some shorter portion has
steeper gradient, you may express that within the text of the description (as "the river drops 50
feet in a quarter mile, for an effective gradient of 200 FPM") but that should NOT be in the
'Maximum Gradient' area. Edit
2008-09-02 12:53:16 (449 days ago)
I was out here the other day to run the Spout. The temperature was supposedly about 93 degrees,
but, even though I arrived on Flake Island after sunset, the heat was very, very oppressive.
Sitting down to rest did not help, as the rocks were super-heated by the sun to around 120 degrees.
I was rapidly becoming seriously dehydrated and probably lost about 30 percent of my strength
before putting in to run the rapid. This rapid should probably not be scouted during daylight in
the summer. So watch out for the summer heat; I came close to having a heat stroke!!! Also, the
water temperature is close to 100 degrees, too, so it provides close to zero cooling. Edit
Add a Comment

Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
0.5U-Hole5.0Photo
0.5S-Turn5.0Photo
0.6The Spout5.1Waterfall Photo

Rapid Descriptions

U-Hole (Class 5.0, Mile 0.5)

U-Hole

U-Hole
Photo of Eric Orenstein by Maggie Snowel

 

Negotiate the small ledges and rocks at the top, then either slide down the left or boof off the center.  There's also a high-water sneak on the right called Norman's Leap (sometimes erroneously called Leonard's Leap) .  The rock shelf protruding from the left bank below the drop is undercut.



S-Turn (Class 5.0, Mile 0.5)

S-Turn

S-Turn
Photo of Sean Devine by Eric Orenstein

 

Peel out from the river left cove, boof right off an angled ledge, and ride the roller coaster down.  A short pool separates S-Turn from the Spout, with a convenient staging eddy on the right.



The Spout (Class 5.1, Mile 0.6)

The Spout

The Spout
Photo of Ryan Moore by Eric Orenstein

 

The Spout is the tallest individual drop in Great Falls.  The standard line is to drive hard left across the lip because the right side lands on rocks.  Don’t pencil in, but don’t land too flat either.  Try to find a happy medium.  Above 3.2 the hole gets really beefy, and below 2.85 the rock behind the curtain (Big Toe) comes into play.

The Crack (Class 5.2) is a high-water (3.3 < LF < 3.55) alternate line to the Spout.  It requires you to ferry across powerful current and hit a boat-width slot at full speed.  If you miss the slot, or get rejected by the boils guarding it, you will wash over the Spout backwards and get annihilated.  Read the Local Paddler description for more details.

 

There's also a right line (Class 5.2) which involves skipping down the rock shelf jutting out from shore.





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