Tuckasegee

To support planned maintenance activities at the Cedar Cliff Dam, the Cedar Cliff hydro station will be out of service from January 2nd through May 1st, 2020. A spillway gate will be open during this time and releases through the spillway gate will fluctuate as inflows increase and decrease. Dangerous high flow conditions can exist downstream of Cedar Cliff hydro station. Flows will be significantly higher during rainfall events. Cedar Cliff Lake will continue to be maintained at lower levels during this work. The boat ramp at the Cedar Cliff Access Area will be unavailable during the drawdown and the access area will be closed. The site will remain closed until construction is complete and the lake returns to a level of 93 feet or greater. Updated lake levels are available any time at duke-energy.com/lakes, by calling 800.829.5253, or on the Duke Energy Lake View mobile app.

The cables have been removed. No hazard.

There are two steel cables across the river downstream from First Hole Rapid in the right channel around the island. They are about 4-5 feet above the water at 1800 cfs. They were not a hazard today, but could be at higher water or if they become slack. They were unmarked.

In 2011 during CCC WOR's I ran the Tuck on the first Saturday of the paddling week. I was trying to take it easy because I had an opportunity to go on a trip to the Middle Fork of the Salmon. Our leader ran a little left of center off of a
tongue. I thought it looked simple enough to me. I thought I ran the same line. I flipped to my right which was my offside. I immediately was snagged by rocks. My shoulder hit, it cracked and poped. My neck cracked and poped. I couldn't get out of my outfitting. I was dragged for several feet while beating on the rocks. I finally came out of my boat. I just set on a rock there in the middle of
the river for a while. My right shoulder was killing me, but everything seemed to be in place. I got back to the old takeout and managed to get one of the commmercial guys to take me and my canoe back to the takeout. My right shoulder was black and blue for weeks. I wasn't able to paddle the rest of the week. I did get to make my Middle Fork trip. That was the absolute worst beating I have ever had in twenty years of paddling.

Be careful when running the new rapid in Dillsboro where the dam was removed. It is a technically easy Class III rapid, but the entire rapid is very shallow. The lines are obvious, but there is very little room to roll before it becomes very bony.

There have been a few minor injuries and scrapes from both kayakers and commercial ducky trips. Rafts and solid Class III paddlers with a fast roll should not have any problems. This warning is mainly aimed at the inexperienced Class II paddler and family ducky drivers. The commercial companies are generally not running this with ducky trips because of the potential for injury.

Scout it first and be aware that it's shallow. Scouting is easy from river right while driving to the put in and from river left after taking out immediately above.