Hazards & Water Levels

Safety First

You are responsible for your own safety. Know your abilities and the abilities of your group. Proper planning and alertness to your surroundings are key to safe paddling. For most of its course, the proposed Water Trail is slow and placid, offering excellent beginner friendly paddle opportunities. However, there are sections of the river that have Class I, Class II, and Class II+ rapids. River users should always remain alert and observant of river conditions.

Please be aware of these specific river hazards:

• Downstream of the Sago Bridge, a ¾ mile section of Class I/II rapids.
• Buckhannon Dams: Two low-head dams on the Buckhannon River in the City of Buckhannon located between the Riverwalk Park and North Buckhannon Park. We recommend all paddlers take out at Riverwalk Park, then drive to North Buckhannon Park to continue their paddle.
• Rapids near Carrollton and the Buckhannon/Tygart River Confluence: There are 2 miles of Class II+ rapids starting 0.75 miles upstream of Carrollton and continuing to Tygart Junction.
• Philippi Dam: Located just upstream of the Philippi Covered Bridge. Portage the dam on river right, or exit the river at the Philippi Dam Pool Boat Ramp and avoid paddling over or near the dam.
• Upstream of Arden Bridge, a 1.5 mile of Class I/II rapids upstream of the bridge that only experienced paddlers should attempt.
• The Water Trail ends at Arden Bridge. Downstream of the bridge, the Tygart Valley River continues through extreme whitewater.

Water Levels

River conditions can vary greatly along the water trail due to precipitation, season, dams, impoundments, and other features. The river responds quickly to rain events. High water levels change river conditions and flow patterns and may make it unsuitable for inexperienced paddlers. The Water Trail is also impacted by drought, which creates shallow scrappy conditions for paddlers.

River users should always:

• Consult the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) website (links in table below);
• Contact the outfitter if using one for rental of equipment and/or shuttling with site specific questions; or
• Contact someone with knowledge of the current condition. Ask a question on our facebook group, check out previous trip reports, or contact us with questions.

The automated USGS river level stations usually show two graphs, gauge height and discharge. The table below has the link to the river levels, water temperature as well as High and Normal levels.

• Gauge Height: The height of the water in the river above a reference point. Gauge height refers to the elevation of the water surface in the specific pool at the gauge station, not along the entire river.
• Discharge: This is the volume of water moving past a certain point, measured in cubic feet per second (CFS). In general, the larger the volume, the faster water is moving downstream.