OCT Appomattox River 3/15/14

[PrimaryColors]

O.C.T. Appomattox River 3/15/2014

Schedule (contingent on having temps above freezing and runnable levels)
9:30 Meet at parking lot on Rt 36 (South of Campbell’s bridge). If anyone wants to scout the Pipeline/Target Rock area you can arrive early and walk up the trail a few hundred yards to check it out.
9:45 Shuttle to put-in below Brasfield (Chesdin) dam
10:00 – 1:00 Paddle down the river
1:30 Return shuttle, end of trip

Post, PM, email or call me to let me know you are coming by Thurs evening 3/13. You can find my numbers in the Coastals directory. –Paul Clemmer

Useful information about this section of the Appomattox:
Length of trip: 6.5 miles (i.e., longer than the combined upper and lower James sections in Richmond)
River classification: Class II-III at about 600-6000 CFS
Runnable levels: On the upper end, 8’ is my absolute cutoff, and to run at 6.5’ or higher I would require a more experienced group. The Matoaca bridge RC gauge says NO WAY between 4’ and 4.5’ (corresponds to 6.5-7’ on the USGS gauge). I have heard that this section has been rafted as high as 14’. Takeout is before Campbell’s bridge at high levels. RC gauge shows a “canoe zero” level that corresponds to about 2.5’ on the USGS gauge at Matoaca. It can be run lower than this if you are careful about selecting the deeper channels and don’t mind occasionally dragging your boat over rocks. I have poled my 17’ canoe a quarter mile past the abutment dam and had no problem finding enough water at 190 CFS (2.05’), so that is my lower comfort level. At that level this section is more of a nature/history float than a whitewater trip, but (to me anyway) still worth doing.

Rapids of note (class II-III): Abutment Dam (1.25 miles from put-in, broken out on river right; can portage on river right or left), Jug Handle (broken out diversion dam, can be paddled around by staying river right), Pipeline (channel to river right of Merchants Mill Dam), Target Rock (easier and harder alternate lines available).

Other features: many Class I and II rapids and play spots, braided channels through islands, wildlife, strainers in island area. Alternate access points at Abutment dam, Ferndale Park, river trail in Pipeline/Target Rock area. STRONG whirlpool under Campbell’s bridge at higher levels (if you’ve always wanted to do a mystery move in your canoe, this is the place). Harvell Dam (100 yards below the takeout) is a potentially lethal hazard, so don’t miss the takeout. A short distance below Harvell dam the river is tidal and can be paddled to the James River confluence in Hopewell, and beyond.

Driving directions: http://www.coastals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1151

American Whitewater page for this section: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/conte ... l/id/1886/

AHPS level predictions for Matoaca gauge (located 3 miles into run at bridge): http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrogra ... gage=MTCV2

USGS Matoaca: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?site_no=02041650
USGS Mannboro--Main stem of Appomattox above Lake Chesdin: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?site_no=02040892
USGS Mannboro--Deep Creek above Lake Chesdin: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?site_no=02041000

Brasfield (aka Chesdin) Dam level: http://www.arwava.org/
Note: The dam is owned and operated by ARWA to create Lake Chesdin, a major source of water for surrounding counties, and the put-in we use is right below. There is a run-of-river power plant owned and operated by Kruger Energy at the dam. Power generation can draw up to 1000 CFS, released to the base of the dam. When the river level gets too high or low for the power plant (or if there is any problem with their equipment) they will shut off this flow which will drop the flowrate by up to 1000 CFS temporarily until the flow over the dam rises to match what is flowing into the lake, or until power generation flow is reestablished. If you watch the Matoaca gauge as the river level is rising or falling you will often see sharp drops and increases in level caused by operations at the power plant. If the water level in the reservoir is below the top of the dam the amount released is usually restricted to190 CFS, as long as at least 190 CFS is flowing into the reservoir. There are proposals for decreasing this minimum flow as well as other schemes for maintaining higher Lake Chesdin levels during dry periods (building another reservoir upstream, increasing the height of the dam, routing treated wastewater to the base of the dam to make up some of the minimum flow, etc.).

Friends of the Lower Appomattox River: http://folar-va.org/

Another paddler’s take on the river: http://www.mypaddlediary.com/?p=23 http://www.mypaddlediary.com/?p=102

Video of paddlers running Pipeline and Girl Scout (aka 7 Drops—parallel to Target Rock): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBDRCVUKa6Y

[whitfield]

Looking forward to meeting everyone. I'm local and familiar with the general features of the river but it has been a few years since I've paddled it in a Kayak. I attended the Coastal YMCA roll class on 3/1 to polish up my skills. Hoping for some good paddling this season.

BTW: I'm driving a Chevy M1008 army pickup if I can be of assistance with the shuttle. Not much room for people, but it could move a few boats.

[chromo]

I'm in.

[StickMan]

I'll be there!

[PrimaryColors]

Thanks to those who've responded so far. This trip is on! It looks like the level will hold around 4' on the USGS Matoaca gauge, a good level and a little easier than the level we had in January. It's a good level for a first descent--contact me if you have any questions.

Looking forward to it!

Paul

[whitfield]

Sorry for the crappy camera equipment ~ my cell is a little dated.

Abutment dam @ break (Friday morning @ 10am) ~26.5 mile MTB ride.













*** There is a nice little eddy at the end of the log (Right) just before the HUGE root ball.

[whitfield]

Jug handle is clean ~ just a small strainer with trash on river right just before the elbow ~ pictured below. I had to hang from the trees to look up river but nothing I could see. . .

[whitfield]

Jug handle video 1




Jug handle video 2




Jug handle video 3






And last a quick 10 second blip of the pipeline rapid after the sharp left hander. ~ I'd have played with it and shot more / cleaner video but I was not in good company this one is LOUD !

[StickMan]

Just talked with Matt Rosenberg and he will be joining us as well.

[M Driscoll]

Nice Beta there Whitfield!