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Souhegan - 1) Greenville to NH Rt. 101 Bridge
Souhegan, New Hampshire, US |
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1) Greenville to NH Rt. 101 Bridge
| Usual Difficulty | II-III (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Avg. Gradient | 59 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 85 fpm |
Second Ledge
Second Ledge
Photo of John Jenkins by Mark Lacroix taken 03/31/02 @ 1.4 bridge
Gauge Information
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOUHEGAN RIVER (SITE WLR-1) NEAR MILFORD, NH | ||||
| usgs-01093852 | 900 - 3000 cfs | II-III | 00h24m | 372 cfs (too low) |
River Description
The Souhegan is a popular spring run. The river is small only about 30' on average. The first mile is steeper (class II-III) once you pass the bridge the river mellows out to a class II. This bridge crossing is the access for the easier section below. The entire river is wooded and scenic with only an occasional view of the road. The Souhegan is narrow and has many blind corners, because of this look out for trees and strainers especially early in the season before local boating clubs clear them out.
Technical info
Put in elevation........690' Take out elevation......435' Total drop..............255' Average drop/mile.......59' Distance................4.3 miles River width average.....30' 1st mile drop...........85' 2nd mile drop...........65' 3rd mile drop...........45' 4th mile drop...........45' 4.3 mile drop...........15' (50'average) River geology...........schists, small boulders, some ledge River water quality.....good, clarity; good to neutral. Scenery.................excellent, route 31 occasionally visiable. Wildlife................Occasional deer, merganzers, beaver, hawks
StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2018-05-02 14:00:17
Editors
Rapid Summary
| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | Powerline | II+ |  |
| 0.4 | Townline | II+ | |
| 0.5 | The Ledges | III |  |
| 1.0 | Bridge 31 | II+ |  |
| 2.5 | Bump rock | II+ | |
| 4.0 | Beaver hole | II | |
| 5.0 | Hemlock Chute | II |
Rapid Descriptions
Powerline (Class II+, Mile 0.3)
Powerline
A short ledge drop. It can be identified by powerlines high over head just above. At the rapid lege and boulders protrude from right and left banks. The drop can have a good size hole on the right side at higher levels. Towards the left side there is a large boulder blocking the outrun.
Powerline
PowerlinePhoto of Abby by Mark Lacroix taken 06/11/06 @ 1.9 (Bridge 31)
Townline (Class II+, Mile 0.4)
Townline
Probably the second most difficult rapid. Not far below Powerline the river widens then constricts into the rapid. Far river left at the wide section there is a boulder jumble with a few interesting chutes in between. The river then narrows down and splits around an island in high water, although the left channel is not too obvious. The main channel is narrow with two boulder / pourovers that upset many paddlers. The first is right of center forcing the paddler to go left, the next is left of center forcing the paddler to move right once more. Be carefull if you swim here since the Ledges section is only a little ways downstream.
Townline
TownlinePhoto of Skip Morris by Mark Lacroix taken 06/11/06 @ 1.9 (Bridge 31)
The Ledges (Class III, Mile 0.5)
The most difficult rapid on this section of river. You can recognize it from a play wave just upstream where the river narrows to 15' and creates a mini wave train. If you look downstream from this position you will notice a couple of large boulders midstream. One of the boulders has a hole bored in about half way up. The normal route is just to the left of the boulder skirting a large hole on river left. The river then continues over a trashy ledge with multiple crosscurrents. After this there are two riverwide 1' ledges about 20' apart. The last ledge is a great play spot.
The most difficult rapid on this section of river. You can recognize it from a play wave just upstream where the river narrows to 15' and creates a mini wave train. If you look downstream from this position you will notice a couple of large boulders midstream. One of the boulders has a hole bored in about half way up. The normal route is just to the left of the boulder skirting a large hole on river left. The river then continues over a trashy ledge with multiple crosscurrents. After this there are two riverwide 1' ledges about 20' apart. The last ledge is a great play spot.
Bridge 31 (Class II+, Mile 1.0)
Bridge 31
Once rt 31 comes into view on your right the river accelerates down a nice gradual chute with some nice waves. It then takes a sharp right and passes under rt 31. Just upstream from the bridge are two holes the one closest to the bridge abutement is great for 360's and other manuevers even at low water levels. Just below the bridge there is a weird hole with a sharp upstream apex. This one is not good for surfing but will not hold you. This is also the access for the easier lower class II section.
Bridge 31
Bridge 31Photo of Gage location by Mark Lacroix taken 06/11/06 @ 1.9 (Bridge 31)
Bump rock (Class II+, Mile 2.5)
Bump Rock
Once the river diverts away from the road on your left for the second time, the river takes a sharp right. In the distance a rock is visible at the end of the river. The river runs into this rock then takes a sharp left. The easiest way to run this in high water is to start from river right then cut to your left just before the rock. In low water you can eddy out on river right just above the rock then easily ferry across the river into the pool below.
Bump Rock
Bump RockPhoto of Corrine Powers by Mark Lacroix taken 06/11/06 @ 1.9 (Bridge 31)
Beaver hole (Class II, Mile 4.0)
The river splits into two channels just above a home (the only one on the river) on river right. The left channel is usually too clogged with strainers from beaver activity. The right channel is only about 18' wide at this point. Just below the house the river drops over a slopping ledge into a hole. Catch the small eddy on the right for access to this playhole.
The river splits into two channels just above a home (the only one on the river) on river right. The left channel is usually too clogged with strainers from beaver activity. The right channel is only about 18' wide at this point. Just below the house the river drops over a slopping ledge into a hole. Catch the small eddy on the right for access to this playhole.
Hemlock Chute (Class II, Mile 5.0)
The river splits into two channels once again. Take the right channel by taking a sharp right. Look out for strainers here the river is only about 20' wide at this point it is also covered over by a thick hemlock canopy which makes it dark at anytime of day.
The river splits into two channels once again. Take the right channel by taking a sharp right. Look out for strainers here the river is only about 20' wide at this point it is also covered over by a thick hemlock canopy which makes it dark at anytime of day.
June 14 2013 (1926 days ago)
RinkDoctor (155499)
6-14-2013 boated at about 1050 cfs; several strainers...nearly river wide... but easily avoided.
Fun in the upper reaches. Any less water and it would lose much of the fun factor.
Fun in the upper reaches. Any less water and it would lose much of the fun factor.
June 26 2008 (3740 days ago)
x (1)
JoeyT 2.7 via this site was scratchy from old power house down to the bridge on 31
October 31 2006 (4344 days ago)
Matt Muir
Dan Bertko reported on Mon 30-Oct-06 : A group of us paddled the the upper cl3, middle cl2, lower
cl3 sections yesterday, Oct 29, 2006. Here's a data point for the virtual gauge: Contookcook at
Peterborough Net gauge 3.15 and falling Souhegan old dam painted gauge: 2.0 and falling The virtual
gauge description is fairly accurate. I'd call it medium. Description update: There were no
strainers in the upper cl3 section. The large tree strainer mentioned in the cl2 description is no
longer there. There is a fine new beaver dam above the old cl2 strainer location. A feature, not a
hazard.
cl3 sections yesterday, Oct 29, 2006. Here's a data point for the virtual gauge: Contookcook at
Peterborough Net gauge 3.15 and falling Souhegan old dam painted gauge: 2.0 and falling The virtual
gauge description is fairly accurate. I'd call it medium. Description update: There were no
strainers in the upper cl3 section. The large tree strainer mentioned in the cl2 description is no
longer there. There is a fine new beaver dam above the old cl2 strainer location. A feature, not a
hazard.
July 10 2005 (4822 days ago)
Jack Gill
Ran the Greenville to Rt 101 Bridge section on 7/10/05. The Gage on the Contoocook at Peterboro was
running at 2.33 at the time. This level was very scratchy on the Souhegan. It was at the lower
limit of what I would consider whitewater fun.
running at 2.33 at the time. This level was very scratchy on the Souhegan. It was at the lower
limit of what I would consider whitewater fun.
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1) Greenville to NH Rt. 101 Bridge, Souhegan New Hampshire, US (mobile)
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