Holston, South Fork

I don't understand 'Suggested Min. Level'; that sounds awfully subjective to me.

I think of 'boating zero' as 'the lowest level at which a boater, skilled to the class at which the stream is rated, can get down without having to get out of his boat (barring strainers and other ephemera). This is a fairly objective criterion.

By that definition, the minimum for this stream is somewhere below 430cfs/3.6', because on June 11, 2005 I ran ~9 miles from VA-724 to Alvarado at that level barely touching any rocks. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that boating zero is actually closer to 300 cfs.

It would be nice if AW adjusted this minimum to turn the S.F.Holston green at -- say, until better intelligence is in -- 400cfs, because this is a delighful pretty float for Class II paddlers, and it's a shame to send them elsewhere when it is boatable.

-Oci-One Kanubi, His Kanubic Travesty