New

This is the gauge for the new river dries https://safewaters.com/facility/54 The 'Current flow in the bypass reach' is the amount of water going into the dries.

During current temporary dam/flume construction period, you can use the New cfs at Thurmond as the actual Dries gauge. Ran it at 6800 cfs on 9/16/2020, put-in at the bridge. First note, it doesn't look like the power company wants you to park there. COVID concerns? The baddest rapid by far is the rapid a few hundred yards below the bridge put-in, I think the Cotton Hill Bridge Rapid. The 'surf hole' is almost river wide. The far left run is the way to go at 6800 (unless you really want to surf this monster) and even then it looks manky. If you start moving to the far right really early, you can pick your way down the right side or there is a green water break between the big holes that you can see and catch. Me, i hesitated and would up in the hole. It's huge, the width of a two lane road. You won't side surf out, the only way to get out is to spin and then flip. Could be that it is always that simple to get out of but I do wonder if at a different level, that would not work. Very deep hole, looks like a horrible place to swim. 'Mile Long' (aka Super Savage) is squirley, lots of whirlpools and a weird shaped flippy hole at the bottom. Landslide looks scary at this level. Suggest you scout it on the far left side. There is a nice tongue you can run on the left side slot.

FYI gauge is wrong for rafts, 10' is small, 12' is medium, 14'+ is getting burly.

low flow dries gauge info
5 ft is a good level for a low flow run, 4 ft is too low- it requires walking or wading your boat in a couple of places

low flow runs are considered class III with class IV consequences because some of the slots are blind and some undercuts are in play.

We paddled the Dries last weekend at lower flows. The approach to Landslide rapid has changed some with some shoals appearing on the river right above the slots river left. Beware of the wood and some shifting of rocks in the three far left slots.

FYI, the gauge reading here on AW is incorrect. A 3.85 level means there is no water in the dries and should be considered paddling zero. Anything above that indicates there is water flowing in the dries.

LOW FLOW, New River Dries, gauge/stage below Hawks Nest dam converted to CFS.
This graph is 'PRELIMINARY' information and may be revised. It was supplied to participants in the New River Dries Flow Study in late 2013. USGS below Hawks Nest: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wv/nwis/uv?site\_no=380649081083301

HIGH FLOW, New River Dries, gauge/stage below Hawks Nest dam converted to CFS.
This graph is 'PRELIMINARY' information and may be revised. It was supplied to participants in the New River Dries Flow Study in late 2013. USGS below Hawks Nest: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wv/nwis/uv?site\_no=380649081083301

Rafting the New River Dries at 500 cfs.

The first rapid paddled as part of the New River Dries Flow Study, at 500cfs.

The Hawks Nest Dam diverts 10,000 cfs from the New River, and releases 100 cfs into the Dries.

Just to let everyone know when the dries are 9 ft there is a hole on river left below the put in that is loopable and can def throw ends. Little sticky but hey thats half the fun.

This rapid forms a maze of boulders at low water, but it is easily run. It's also fun to get out and walk around on the sculpted bedrock of one of the oldest rivers in the world.
Check out the smooth flat boulder at the bottom left of the rapid. It is way out of the water in this picture, but forms a TERRIBLE hole at and above about 26,000 on the Thurmond gage. Locals call it Hatcher's Hole.

Karen plays on a fun wave somewhere in the top third of Mile Long Rapid (or it may be the rapid before Mile Long). Thurmond was 13,500 cfs and the Cotton Hill Bridge gauge was 4.0. A gentle, fun, playful level.

This dam blocks the New River below Fayette Station and diverts it's flow through a 4 mile long tunnel. The electricty generated from the diversion goes not to public utilities, but gives a Norwegian Corporation (Elkem Metals) free power for their alloy plant downstream. This company's policies are also the reason it is illegal to paddle navagable Kanawha Falls where they own and operate another hydroplant. Both hydro projects are up for relicensing in 2017.

Nice Air!

Well, once again, Almost Heaven 'Wet Virginia' was the place to be this past weekend, as myself and the usual suspects had an awesome time surfing the New River Dries.

I love living 10 mins away from the dries ....and the parking lot at the waves has a feeling about it....sort of what I imagine the parking lot for 'pipeline' is to surfers. Everyone is just so amped to be paddling the best whitewater in the US, and we love sharing it with each other. So much so that, Scott Lindgren and Tanya Shuman flew in from Cali when they heard the waves would be in for a few days. So, myself, Clay Wright, Shane Groves, Bryan Kirk, Jimmy Blakeney, Chris Gratgmans, Little Dave, BJ & Katie Johnson, Tanya Shuman, Anna Levesque, and a few others had a great time surfin it up, and shooting some film....

The usual waves that show up on river right at about 40-55,000 cfs were the bomb as usual, but we were also able to surf a huge, building and crashing 15-20' 'er in the middle of the river. This thing was abso-friggin-lutely HUGE, and so were some of the moves being thrown. Big pan-ams, flipturns and helixes were the main course on the endless freestyle menu, and lots of footy was shot. Look for updates soon on www.prokayaker.tv (Jimmy Blakeney's site) as well for some of the best shots on Scott Lindgren's new flick 'Burning Time'.

If you haven't had the chance to surf some huge waves, the dries is where it's at. Look for levels for the New at Thurmond to be 28,000 cfs-38,000 cfs for the wide middle wave, 40,000-60,000 for the waves on river right.

Also, the Bigwheel was incredible! So smooth, and FAST! Definatly my favorite boat, and Shane has already been making it better from what I hear!

It's late, and I'm goin surfin in the AM, so until the next report.....

Brian J

looping in the hole at the bottom of the rapids you see from the bridge.

Fun loop spot towards the bottom of Landslide on the Dries

Typical Class III at release levels

First wave at dries put-in

First rapid below Cotton Hill Bridge at release level

Wave right below the Cotton Hill Put In at release levels.

Preliminary relationship between the Dries stage gage and in stream flow in the Dries. 0-30,000 cfs.

Preliminary relationship between the Dries stage gage and in stream flow in the Dries. 0-3,000 cfs.

Entering the bottom series of rapids.