On October 23 and 24, roughly 35 paddlers attended a Controlled Recreational Flow Study on the Great Falls reach of the Catawba River in the heart of South Carolina’s Piedmont.
American Whitewater and other organizations requested this study that sought to determine the flow preferences, access needs, and desirability associated with paddling the Great Falls. AW collaborated with Duke Power, and consultant Bunny Johns in the design and implementation of this landmark study. Paddlers boated two parallel channels seperated by a large island at 3 different flows. Our plan to boat a fourth (and highest) flow was thwarted by the failure of flashboards atop a diversion weir associated with the project. This study marks the culmination of almost 2 years of preparation.
The Great Falls of the Catawba was once an 8 mile series of roaring rapids that cut through a granite fall line deep in the heart of South Carolina. Shad and other fish migrated through the area and visitors enjoyed the beauty and power of the the river. The unique area held a mixture of mountain and lowland species. Then, around the turn of the century a process began that would dam much of the Catawba River, including the Great Falls. All but one short section was flooded under reservoirs, and that remaining section was dewatered by a canal that lead to more hydropower generators. The river was silenced, the fish ceased to return up the river, and the Falls were largely forgotten – until the relicensing of the Catawba River Dams began in 2002.
American Whitewater and other groups are now excited to have the opportunity to restore a portion of the Great Falls to a functional river again, and a regional recreational treasure. Much of the land along and around the Great Falls has recently been set aside for preservation assuming funding is available, and Duke has proposed to lease at a nominal fee all the islands around Great Falls to become a new state park. There is now the unique opportunity to create a state park that offers large tracts of undeveloped and ecologically rich open space, a rich historic and prehistoric legacy, the chance to view and hear the Great Falls roaring, a restored river that supports native aquatic sepcies, and a truly wonderful recreational boating opportunity on a class 2+ reach, a solid class 3 reach, as well as on multiple reservoirs. All of this – and it is located next to the ailing yet optomistic mill town of Great Falls – half way between Charlotte and Columbia.
The study data has yet to be analyzed, but there were lots of very large smiles on the river last weekend. Paddlers appreciated the great scenery and wildlife and found some great playboating including some great big waves and some smaller mystery spots, cartwheel holes, and spinning/blasting holes. At the right level, the Great Falls could provide some of the biggest and best playboating on any dam released river south of the Gauley River in West Virginia. Currently access is a big limitation to enjoying the Great Falls but AW will be working to develop ecologically sensitive and recreationally preferable access proposals. AW will also continue our efforts to restore water to the Great Falls and to protect and improve the quality of that water.
A full flow study will be out soon, but for now check out a teaser video of 3 rapids:
http://homepage.mac.com/fallingwaters/iMovieTheater5.html
We recieved quite a bit of press for this study, including this article: http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/10007659.htm
We would like to thank the volunter participants that got up early and pulled on cold wet paddling gear in the name of river stewardship. We would like to thank our many supporters of our work on the Catawba, including the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. We would like to thank Duke Power and Bunny Johns for working with us so opennly and collaboratively. And especially AW wants to thank volunteer Andrew Lazenby and his wife Mary for their help in organizing this study and the many others on the Catawba this summer. Great Work Everyone!
Next up: nearly two years of negotiations regarding the fate of the Great Falls! We need your support: Join and donate to American Whitewater!