Catawba

A year or so after the hurricane the river is still fine. No real trees or problems.

Gauge was probably in the 353-354 range.

This was the last day of a few pre-release days that aided SAR training, media and public information, paddler familiarization, and included a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the put in. It was a great day to get ready for the release schedule.

Chris Jackson has been regularly documenting the construction of the Great Falls flow structures for the past couple years via drone. These images represent the final design/build, to which water will be restored in the coming weeks for the next several decades. The large channel will have water all the time, 450 or 850 cfs depending on the month, and will feature several potential surf waves. The smaller 'paperclip' channel on the right side will only have water during recreational releases. Both channels are designed to release specific volumes of water into the river below and allow people to paddle from the reservoir into the river below.

Time for a long overdue update on this reach. In October of 2004 AW in partnership with Duke Power successfully completed the flow study on both river sections. The quality of the whitewater and playspots were impressive. We are currently in the middle of negotiations to determine the number of opportunities to boat his section in the future. I look forward to continue to work with AW to bring this section of the Catawba river back to life. Completion of this project is slated to 2007-2008.

Andrew Lazenby

A major update is needed for this run. The AW arranged a series of test releases and the run is being considereed for regular rleases.

American Whitewater worked with Duke Energy and many other groups to coordinate a controlled whitewater flow study in October of 2004. This study layed the foundation for flow restoration negotiations. Over one weekend we paddled several different flows on both channels, filling out surveys and having focus group discussions following each run and at the very end. It was a safe, fun, and informative weekend!

Looking upstream at the second rapid on the Short Channel of the Great Falls at the highest flow we were able to test. Big water, beautiful waves.

In this months AW, Jeff Tallman wrote an article describing a section of the Catawba river in between Rock Hill and Columbia S.C. This is a two mile section of old riverbed that has not had water in it since the early 1900's on a regular basis. AW is trying to secure regular flows in the channel for us to use.

With all ths rain we have had this last week, Great Falls is running as we speak.(according to duke dude this afeternoon. It wasn't this morning) According to a Duke power contact there is at least 2 ft of water going over the Coffer dam and into the old Dewatered Riverbed. I am getting ready to drive back down to look at it this afternoon and get some pictures of the Fishing creek Dam with 2 floodgates open. I have some photos I have taken inthe past when I have chanced upon it running and ran the section and they can be viewed

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/3934/

and

http://community.webshots.com/user/joemess

there are photos of it with no water and with water running in both channels. The titles to the albums will say Great falls or dewatered. There are 3 or 4 and they should be on the first page.

I will post an update in an hour or so after I get back to verify what the Duke person said. Ill add details then.

Andrew

the dam is spilling all the way across the top ,
over the gates...

This does not show anyone running the drop. It was taken from the top edge looking downriver. THIS VIDEO LOOKS BEST IN WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER OR QUICKTIME
This is the first desent down a dry section of
the Catawba during the spring floods.

AW is currently working to have this restored
to is original beauty.....

This was a cool granite slot/slide in the middle of a sea of a river.
Spills here are really impressive...
There are lots of surfing holes and waves like this one on the great falls of the Catawba.
jeff was a bit too far right and had a minor piton. You may want to put in below this one...

This is a very wide river with many channels and small rapids. There may be some great play hiding out there...