Browns

Gauge Info: USGS Flow: 3300 cfs; USGS Station: East Georgia Lamoille

[A comment about the Browns River flow... The Lower Lamoille cfs flow figure on the East Georgia gauge can be misleading for this river. However, a more complete estimate can be had by looking at the level of change per hour. If the Lamoille is climbing the Browns will likely be proportionately higher and vice-versa if the Lamoille gauge is dropping it will likely be proportionately lower.]

On Apr 11, 2012 we put in at the excellent parking area just south of Westford Village Green by the Rt. 128 bridge. The flow was medium-low. Some of the group eddied out (river left) to shore scout at the dam after passing under the covered bridge in Westford Village. All but one paddler then picked a line from river-right to left around the lead-in ledge pourovers to negotiate the slide on far river-left at the collapsed dam. A few rolls and braces were required by the tilted ledge at the foot of the tongue but others thumbed their noses as they paddled away from the large toilet bowl swirl river-center at the base of the broken-up dam.

The next feature, sometimes referred to as S-turn Rapid, is the liveliest rapid on the run. There are good eddies for practice throughout. The main flow takes aim at a large rock river-center if you are too passive with your paddle through this section. As flow increases there also is a diagonal wave mid-way and a pillow forms hiding the rock. The last road access parallels on river-right just after this rapid.

Around a bend and a few hundred yards is the next feature, a river-wide 3' ledge drop (scout on river left). Everyone cleanly ran left of the large rock (river center) . A short distance later, the group again choose center lines between a rock and island ledge in the 2-step, slide-drop section of this 3' drop. There were a few light scrapping sounds through the shallower section that followed but it was all reasonably fluid on this day.

The final double-island feature came up after 1-1/2 mile of flat water ending with a fun rock-garden lead-in rapid. Some river scouted from an eddy overlooking the river-right rocky slide, and then everyone elected to bounce down through that option rather than paddle either of the river left channel alternatives.

The Rt 128 take-out bridge came into view, after another 3/4 mile section of flat water. Take-out is on either side at the bridge (or after on river left 40 yards downstream). The takes out options are not the friendliest but access to the road-side parking area is good. Other options for take out are river-right just after the next bridge on McNall Rd. (+1-mile) or to the Lower Lamoille put-in (+ 2.2-mile) or the Lamoille take-out (+6-mile - see Lower Lamoille).

Brock Richardson
This run correlates fairly well with the Lower lamoille gauge. Low runnable is about 1000cfs on the Lower Lamoille at this level it is a scratchy class II. We ran it today at around 4000cfs on the Lower Lamoille and at this level it had several class III sections.

A few experienced paddlers ran this section last Fall. I was universally agreed that this is more significant than class II. Class III is probably more appropriate.