Tallapoosa
Thurlow Dam to boat ramp
| Difficulty | II-IV |
| Length | 1.6 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 19 fpm |
| Gauge | Tallapoosa River at Milstead Al |
| Flow Rate as of 49 minutes | 2.37 ftrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 15, 2014 |
The Tallapoosa is a short, dam-release whitewater river. The put in resembles a lake and some boaters have mistaken it as the wrong river. The takeout is a public boat ramp below the Falls. The river was once similar to Great Falls of the Potomac but now most of the gradient is under a lake. Portions of the Class V+ at the base of Thurlow Dam (as well as the dam) have been run.
This is one of the few Alabama rivers that is runnable all year long. Alabama power maintains a minimum flow of 1270 cfs (1 turbine on Thurlow Dam), which makes for a technical, but doable run. If you run the Falls at this level your main option is boofing 'The Finger.' Half the art and science of catching bigger water runs on Tallapoosa can be figured out by watching for releases on Yates Dam, which is just upstream of Thurlow. A one turbine release on Yates (for more than 1 hour) = 5,000 cfs+ (or more) on Tallapoosa. Two turbines on Yates (for more than 1 hour) = 10,000 cfs+ on Tallapoosa. Alabama power changes the schedule daily, so it's best to check both Yates and Thurlow before you head out: https://apcshorelines.com/our-lakes/
River Levels
1277 cfs. - Scrapy, not a lot of play. Falls are still fun, but use caution. Good, forgiving level for beginners.
5000-7000 cfs - Some play spots develop. Good for intermediate level paddlers
10000 cfs - Big holes and wave trains develop. Play spots start to get good. Having a reliable roll, good ferrying skills and the ability to read water is a must at this level and up.
11000-13000 cfs - Excellent play spots and surf waves.
The Tallapoosa starts off as flat water and quickly hits the fall line. The river has numerous good play spots that are playable at various water levels. Most of the Tallapoosa is an easy class II+ run on a big open river. About ¼ mile from the dam look for Sticky Hole on the left 1/3 of the river. If you
...
All that remains of 'The Great Falls of the South.' Water seldom flows over these massive rock formations.
The powerlines mark the beginning of the whitewater on the Tallapoosa. At minimum flow there are mostly shoals and broken ledges until you get to the Falls. At higher water this section is filled with wave trains and holes.
Sticky hole only comes into play at higher levels.
Look for the chute which is closer to the island than the left shore of the river. Otherwise, at minimal flow, you might find yourself falling off a four foot ledge. This is a two part drop, each drop about 2-4'. At 5000 cfs and up this is a wavetrain you would expect to see on the Ocoee.
At 5000 cfs and up there are strong hydraulics on both sides of the tongue, on both parts of the drop, so stay on line and don't end up in the hole. There were a couple of near drownings here involving some ill prepared Auburn college students in canoes back in 2001.
While the falls is technically easy, it is chock full of potholes, caves, pinning spots and other hazards. Those unfamiliar with the lines should scout well. The lower the water the worse the hazards. You may see a nice looking boof next to a tree towards the middle. The rock is rough and does not boof well.
For those who wish to avoid the Falls, once you see the island, start heading far river left. At 1270 cfs the sneak is boney and a test of your water reading skills.
At 5,000 cfs this makes a lovely surf wave. At 1,270 cfs there are a few options you can take. Far river left there is an s-turn move, most of the other option at this level are 1-2 foot drops through the last broken ledge.
May 1, 2025
On April 30, 2025 I noticed Alabama Power was running minimum flow over a gate at Thurlow so I went out on the bridge to look at the rapids directly below the dam. They had divers in the water doing inspections so they had all generators off and I found out they would be doing that for a couple of days. I got in touch with a friend of mine, Erik Amason and showed him some videos and pics I got of the rapids and we decided to meet up the next day and run a few lines there that I have now been told had never been ran before. We put in at the ramp and paddled up to the rocks below the dam and gave the rapids a good look and decided they were good to go. Erik walked up to the base of the dam and got the first run on the main line right down the middle. I soon followed and got the second run down that main line. Erik also ran a creeky line with 2 big drops (10-12 footers) that was reminiscent of something you'd see in Western North Carolina.
Nov 7, 2018
There's a lovely island campsite between the falls and the end of the sneak that can be accessed from the takeout. It's a great spot for lunch or a campout if for whatever reason you want to spend a night in Tallassee. It's usually occupied by a friendly, although heavily drug influenced group of locals who are rough in demeanor but ultimately harmless.
