Hoosic Release This Weekend: 4/16/05

The second season of scheduled Hoosic River Whitewater Releases into the Schaghticoke Gorge will begin on Saturday, April 16th, 2005 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.  American Whitewater and Adirondack Mountain Club negotiated these releases in the relicensing process for this hydropower project with Reliant Energy.  The Hoosic truly has something for everyone.  It has an impressive Class V upper section and a fun Class III lower section.  Do one or both!  Schaghticoke Gorge is in Schaghticoke, New York, about fifteen miles north of Troy.  Come join us to celebrate the second season of releases on the Hoosic.

Please sign in.  American Whitewater and Adirondack Mountain Club negotiated a clause in the license to increase the number of whitewater days annually based on boater demand for the run.    Demand is measured by the number of boaters attending a whitewater release.  If twenty-five or more boaters attend the whitewater release then an additional day is added the following year for a cap of five days annually.  Signing in on the afternoon of the release will ensure an accurate count.  Look for an official looking boater person with a clipboard!

What will the flow level be in the Gorge?  Good question.  Reliant is required to provide a whitewater release when inflow to the reservoir is between 800 and 1600 cfs.  All inflow between 800 and 1600 cfs will be passed into the Gorge.   If inflow is less than 800 cfs then the release will be postponed to the following Saturday.  Conditions look favorable for a release this weekend. 

You can check the inflow via the Eagle Bridge gage on the Hoosic River (USGS 01334500).  The Eagle Bridge gage is a considerable distance upstream from the reservoir and consequently records a lower flow than is present downstream.  To correlate flows measured at Eagle Bridge with reservoir inflows multiply the Eagle Bridge reading by 1.254 to determine the approximate reservoir inflow.  The Eagle Bridge gage should read 640cfs or more to trigger a whitewater release into Schaghticoke Gorge.  As the flow increases beyond the 800 cfs inflow the hydraulics in the upper section obviously get bigger.  The Whitewater Study Team boated flows up to 1600 cfs.

Why Go?  Schaghticoke Gorge contains whitewater opportunities for everyone.  If you are a Class V boater then put in at the top and huck yourself off the 30 footer.  If you are a Class II-III paddler put-in at Big Eddy and work on your skills in the numerous Class II and III rapids between Big Eddy and the powerhouse.  The Class III rapids have sneak routes so you can make it as difficult as you want.  And the Class III drops have playspots to work on your moves.  Just upstream of the powerhouse bridge there’s an ender spot for the old schoolers to strut their stuff with 360 pirouettes.  

Etiquette and Conduct in the town of Schaghticoke and at the powerhouse.  Paddlers need to be on their best behavior in Schaghticoke.  Do not park on the main street—use side streets.  Do not park in the driveway at the start to the carriage road put-in.  Do not unload boats in the driveway leading to the carriage road.  There is plenty of parking on side streets a short walking distance from the carriage road.  Please use good etiquette around town. Be aware of offending with the local community with nudity, etc.

If you plan to attend, please read and understand all the restrictions and concerns as outlined on the American Whitewater page: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/rivers/id/1320/

Parking at the powerhouse take-out is limited to 5 vehicles. The objective of limited parking is to reduce traffic on the road to the powerhouse. The local landowners view the powerhouse road as a private road not open to the public.  American Whitewater and Adirondack Mountain Club negotiated an access plan that limited parking to 5 cars at the take-out.  Coordinate shuttles with other boaters. Overflow parking is available on Chestnut Street—the road leading to the takeout.  Boaters need to be conscientious and respectful of the local landowners on this road. Drive 20 mph or less on the powerhouse road–speed limits in excess of this will jeopardize relations with these land-owners and potentially future releases. 

For more information about American Whitewater’s efforts on this release, contact John Gangemi at jtgangemi@centurytel.net. The local AW/ADK contacts are John Duncan john@whitewaterusa.com and Stephen Brabetz at brabetz@midtel.net , home phone: (518) 399-5529, cell: (518) 461-7134. 

Lastly, this whitewater release is the result of years of negotiations with Reliant Energy, formerly Niagara Mohawk.  These negotiations require significant time commitments of American Whitewater staff meeting with utility and resource agency staff, reviewing and commenting on technical documents to convince other stakeholders in the relicense process to support whitewater flows.  American Whitewater staff does this work on behalf of the paddling community—you and your paddling friends.  This work is payed for through membership dues and donations.  We thank those American Whitewater members that have helped make these Hoosic River Whitewater Releases a reality.  For those boaters that are not American Whitewater members please take the time now to join American Whitewater.  Your membership dues help us protect and restore whitewater rivers for your enjoyment.  Only you can make whitewater releases happen!