5/17/17 post flood report

[Brian Sloss]

11 Point: Got permission from the forest service to run from Greer to Riverton yesterday 5/17/17 to look for danger spots. I caught a ride from the Jone's in their john boat and did sort of a Hufstedler's/Eleven Point Canoe Rental scout trip. Here is the long and short of what we found. Starting at Greer, the first island, the the right fork is clear, but caution is needed. As you are going around the island you will come to a fairly sharp bend to the left, it is clear and easy and coming out of the bend I would stay in the center and go over the shallower center part of the river (the right and left bank have logs that can be troublesome. Then there will be a sharp right turn and you need to hug the inside bend as there are downed trees that can get you on the outside bend. Continuing downsteam, the next island, stay on the right fork the whole way, it is open, but the left has lots of trees down. Below Turner at fish Dam (normally 45 minutes below Turner, now probably 25-30 minutes), there is a big tree and root wad in the river that looks pretty nasty, but before entering that swift water, there is a small fork to the right that is clear, take it. Hall Bay shoals (the big rapid down from Boze Mill) has very big waves in it, stay far to the right or you will swamp your canoe in those waves. There was a tree all the way across the river, right before Riverton, but that is clear now. We are starting back tomorrow, but here are some general tips. The water is still high and quite swift, if you have kids or are not a good paddler with experience, you should wait a little longer for levels to drop. Stay in the bigger forks at splits in the river, except for the fish dam exception I laid out earlier. If a spot looks ify, stay away from it, don't go for it. Give trees in the river a wide birth. Greer, Whitten, Riverton and 142 will be open. Hopefully we can have Turner opened again soon. They had a big crew there grinding up trees yesterday, but it will be a while still. Thomasville and Can Bluff will remain closed until further notice. Hope this helps everyone.

[netboy]

Thanks for the update Brian. Glad to hear things are getting back to normal.

[kevthebassman]

You're a scholar and a gentleman Brian.

[Al Agnew]

Good idea to do the scouting and post this.  We really ought to have anybody who floats any stream section after the floods report on what they encountered.  To that end, I'll post my trip on the Huzzah.

[jdmidwest]

From what I hear, Current River is a mess of sunken cars, houses, and powerlines on the lower ends.

We actually fished the Doniphan stretch last summer and was amazed at the amount of development that had taken place down there.  I am sure most of it washed away in the flood.  A friend had water in a cabin above Van Buren at Deer Run that sit on a bluff over looking the river.  This never happened in the 40 years they owned it.  She actually lived in another house at a lower elevation that was completely washed away.

Buddies did the Pre Memorial Day float on the Spring River this weekend.  Gravel bars cleared off of trees and a few overturned campers were all they found.  River is about normal with minimal damage.

[ColdWaterFshr]

Upper Current is in good shape.  Lots of big downed trees in places, sand, gravel bars re-arranged . . . and other places barely any noticeable change.  Camped on river above Parker on Sunday night.