Learn about stars here

Deerfield, MA

 Disclaimer

Fife Brook Section (Bear Swamp to Route 2)

Class II-III
9.5 Miles
Avg Gradient 25 fpm

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap
Photo by Shawn Sullivan @ ~1100 cfs

Gauge Information

Deerfield
Fife Brook Section II-III
high
1,510
8/8 16:45
[detail]

Min Sug. Level:  700 cfs Max Sug. Level:  1500 cfs

River Description

2007 Deerfield releases (Fife Brook) 106 release dates

April

May

June

 July August September October
Sat., 7th Sat., 5th Fri., 1st Sun., 1st Wed., 1st Sat., 1st Wed., 3rd
Sun., 8th Sun., 6th Sat., 9th Fri., 6th Thu., 2nd Sun., 2nd Thu., 4th
Wed., 11th Sat., 12th Sun., 10th Sat., 7th Fri., 3rd Wed., 5th Fri., 5th
Thu., 12th Sun., 13th Sat., 16th Sun., 8th Sat., 4th Thu., 6th Sat., 6th
Fri., 13th Sat., 19th Sun., 17th Thu., 12th Sun., 5th Fri., 7th Sun., 7th
Sat., 14th Sun., 20th Wed., 20th Fri., 13th Wed., 8th Sat., 8th Wed., 10th
Sun., 15th Wed., 23rd Thu., 21st Sat., 14th Thu., 9th Sun., 9th Thu., 11th
Wed., 18th Thu., 24th Fri., 22nd Sun., 15th Fri., 10th Wed., 12th Fri., 12th
Thu., 19th Fri., 25th Sat., 23rd Wed., 18th Sat., 11th Thu., 13th Sat., 13th
Fri., 20th Sat., 26th Sun., 24th Thu., 19th Sun., 12th Fri., 14th Sun., 14th
Sat., 21st Sun., 27th Wed., 27th Fri., 20th Wed., 15th Sat., 15th  
Sun., 22nd Wed., 30th Thu., 28th Sat., 21st Thu., 16th Sun., 16th  
Wed., 25th Thu., 31st Fri., 29th Sun., 22nd Fri., 17th Thu., 27th  
Thu., 26th   Sat., 30th Wed., 25th Sat., 18th Fri., 28th  
Fri., 27th     Thu., 26th Sun., 19th Sat., 29th  
      Fri., 27th Thu., 23rd Sun., 30th  
      Sat., 28th Fri., 24th    
      Sun., 29th Sat., 25th    
        Sun., 26th    
        Fri., 31st    

Special Events

May ?: Deerfield River Clean-up Week (part of the National River Clean-up Week)
June 2-3: Trout Unlimited ?One Fly? Fishing Tournament, minimum flow at Fife Brook

June 10 (Sunday) Zoar Gap White Water Plunge
June 23 (Saturday): Charlemont Lions Club Canoe Race, Fife Brook
July 27, 28, 29: Deerfield Riverfest sponsored by American Whitewater

 


StreamTeam Status: verified
Last Updated: 2008-03-02 20:42:41

Search Results

Photos/Videos 1- of 20

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap  Fife Brook , Deerfield River MA
(509.49KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap  Fife Brook Deerfield River MA
(38.47KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap routes


Zoar Gap routes  Fife Brook Deerfield River MA
(124.35KB .jpeg)

Java ender


Java ender  Deerfield River MA
(72.42KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap  Deerfield MA
(75.18KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap  Deerfield MA
(83.17KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap  Deerfield MA
(79.22KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap  Deerfield MA
(71.60KB .jpeg)

Fife Brook dam


Fife Brook dam  Deerfield MA
(37.27KB .jpeg)

1 2 3 Next

This topic does not exist yet

You’ve followed a link to a topic that doesn’t exist yet.

If permissions allow (as a AW Member, you may edit River Wiki, for example) you may create it by using the “Create This Page Button” below by hovering your mouse over the edit wrench.

If you don’t see a wrench, you don’t have permission to edit or edit is turned off.

If you don’t know what you are doing click on the sandbox and instructions link off the create page link.

Gauge

Gauge Description:

 
 106 scheduled releases. Releases from Fife Brook Dam start between 9:30 am and 12 noon, with a flow of at least 700 cfs, for a 3-hour duration.

*Start time between 9:30 and 1:00 pm

 

Photo by Mark L taken 7/27/03

You can put in near the dam at the end of the road were there is a stairway leading down to the river, or skip the warm up and put in at the vehicle turnaround .1 miles downstream.

Hangover Helper (Class II, Mile 0.1)

Hangover Helper

Photo by Mark L taken 7/27/03 @ 1000 cfs

Easy straightforward rapid. There is a large pool at the bottom to recover equipment.

Carbis Bend (Class II, Mile 1.0)

Carbis Bend

Photo by Mark Lacroix taken 7/29/06 @ 700 cfs

Good surfing at the bottom of the drop. Large eddy and rock beach downstream on river left.

Freight Train (Class II, Mile 1.5)

Surfing at Freight Train

Photo of Heidi by Mark Lacroix taken 7/29/06 @ 700 cfs

Nice surfing waves, good squirt lines at the bottom under the railroad bridge.

Pinball (Class II, Mile 2.3)
Also known as Rock Garden. Medium size boulders in this long rapid are great for eddy practice.

Zoar Gap (Class III+, Mile 4.8)

Zoar Gap

Photo of Sharon Lacroix by Mark L taken 7/27/03 @ 1000 cfs

This rapid changed a little during a flood in 2001 therefore it is a little more difficult than it used to be. It is at least 1to 2 classes more difficult than anything else a paddler has encountered so far on this river section so most boaters chose to walk around this rapid on river right. To recognize the entrance to Zoar Gap look for the second concrete road embankment on river right. The first one is shortly after the "Island" (take the left channel). The second road view is further downstream. Look for a well used pull out on river right usually marked with streamers or something else in the trees. The drop is short but filled with rocks and holes making a straight run through difficult without flipping. To get an idea of the best ways through the “Gap” check out David Bucas’s Zoar Gap routes.



Events

Calendar Control Date:
Calendar by Date by Title By Year

2008 Deerfield releases (Fife Brook) 106 release dates

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

Thu., 10th

Sat., 3rd

Sun., 1st

Thu., 3rd*

Fri., 1st

Wed., 3rd

Wed., 1st

Fri., 11th

Sun., 4th

Sat., 14th

Fri., 4th

Sat., 2nd

Thur., 4th

Thu., 2nd

Sat., 12th

Sat., 10th

Sun., 15th

Sat., 5th

Sun., 3rd

Fri., 5th

Fri., 3rd

Sun., 13th

Sun., 11th

Wed., 18th

Sun., 6th

Wed., 6th*

Sat., 6th

Sat., 4th

Wed., 16th

Sat., 17th

Thu., 19th

Sat., 12th

Thu., 7th

Sun., 7th

Sun., 5th

Thu., 17th

Sun., 18th

Fri., 20th

Sun., 13th

Fri., 8th

Wed., 10th

Wed., 8th

Fri., 18th

Wed., 21st

Sat., 21st

Wed., 16th

Sat., 9th

Thur., 11th

Thu., 9th

Sat., 19th

Thu., 22nd

Sun., 22nd

Thu., 17th

Sun., 10th

Fri., 12th

Fri., 10th

Sun., 20th

Fri., 23rd

Wed., 25th

Fri., 18th

Wed., 13th*

Sat., 13th

Sat., 11th

Wed., 23rd

Sat., 24th

Thu., 26th

Sat., 19th

Thur., 14th

Sun., 14th

Sun., 12th

Thu., 24th

Sun., 25th

Fri., 27th

Sun., 20th

Fri., 15th

Thu., 18th

 

Fri., 25th

Wed., 28th

Sat., 28th

Wed., 23rd

Sat., 16th

Fri., 19th

 

Sat., 26th

Thu., 29th

Sun., 29th

Thu., 24th

DEERFIELD RIVER (CHARLEMONT) [ MA ]

Current Conditions

Stage Flow Updated
3.65 1510 8/8 16:45

Station Graphs

Linked Reaches

Search Results

Level Legend: Running Below Minimum Recommended Flow Above Maximum Recommended Flow Unknown
Descriptions of reaches with River Name in bold have been verified by a regional StreamTeam member.

State River Name/Section Class Level Rel. Level Updated
MA Deerfield— Fife Brook Section II-III 1,510 cfs   high 8/8 16:45

Station Description

AW Gauge ID:152
USGS Station:01168500
HUC:01080203
Latitude:42.6258
Longitude:-72.8556
Class:6

User Comments
2004-08-03 10:59:11 (1466 days ago)
Brad RobertsDetails
Fife brook is just about a perfect beginner stream. A nice splashy class 2 rapid at the top. Then pool drop class two until you get to the zoar gap rapid, a nice solid textbook class three. From the road the run looks like its nothing but flatwater, but I was pleastantly surprised. The current moves fast and there is quite a bit of class 2 play the whole way down. Once again, great for a beginner to practice ferry's, surfing and peel outs. With the big rapid in sight of the takeout, makes for a great way to cap off the run!!<br /> The water is pretty chilly as a result of the damn release. We were wearing long sleave tops in August.
Add a Comment

Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
0.0Put inPutin Photo
0.1Hangover HelperIIPhoto
1.0Carbis BendIIPhoto
1.5Freight TrainIIPhoto
2.3PinballII
4.8Zoar GapIII+Photo

Rapid Descriptions

Put in

Fife Brook dam

Fife Brook dam
Hangover Helper
Carbis Bend
Surfing at Freight Train
Zoar Gap

August 2008

S M T W T F S
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
3
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
4
5
6
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
7
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
8
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
9
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
10
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
11
12
13
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
14
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
15
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
16
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
17
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
18
19
20
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
21
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
22
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
23
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
24
 
Deerfield: Zoar Gap
09:30 am -12:00 am est
Releases start between 9:30 - 12 and are at least 700 CFS 700- cfs
25
26