Your Dam River

What is a “dam river?”

A river with dams on it. Most rivers are dammed, and if they aren’t already, they likely will be one day.

What is "your" dam river?

Your dam river is a river you paddle on with dams.

You need to know how many there are, where they are located, what kind of flows are coming out of them and how they might affect the stretch of water you’re planning to paddle on.

You may have more than one dam river.

There are many rivers that I regularly paddle in Canada: the Ottawa, Madawaska, Gatineau, Rideau Canal system, Mississippi, and St. Lawrence rivers. And, there are other rivers I hit up and need to learn about when I travel.

Every time I want to paddle a river, especially a new stretch I don’t know, it takes research.

Where are the dams? Where are the rapids? How paddler friendly is it? How hard is it to navigate? Where is the put in and take out? What else do I need to be aware of? (There are alligators in some Florida rivers, and others affected by tides, or cruise ship activity.) How much gear do I need to bring or wear? What’s the weather report? How beautiful will it be? How much fun can I have?

You may even ask yourself sometimes if it is worth all this effort to paddle at all and take up cycling instead!

Now, where can I find all this information in one simple place or who can I call? Sometimes, that can be a reliable outfitter or another paddler who knows the area.

One of my dam rivers around home is the Ottawa River.

The sudden rise in the water levels on the Ottawa River really surprised me this past September when I was cycling past a favorite spot in Aylmer, Quebec. (See, I opted for the bike a lot this year.) All summer it had been a low dry stretch of river rock in this particular spot. Then, overnight, it became the exciting and dangerous roaring rapid you would normally see in the spring. I was wondering what the scoop was, and now just found the answer in an article about rainfall and dam behavior that I’ll share below.

And as I continue to research dams and explore just how much Paddling with dams is damned!, I’m discovering alarming things about dams. Things that include questions about public safety, environmental concerns, and of course the always forgotten socio-cultural aspect of what dams do to people! Not everyone and few other living-things benefit.

But, my focus will remain on dam information for paddlers. It is complicated and time consuming to find out what is happening with dams: finding maps of dam locations by river, dam flow rates and predictions, and someone to contact for real-time information.

The reason - dams are not owned and operated by any one authority. You’ll have to shop around on the Web to try and figure out who is responsible for the dams on your water, and surrounding land that they totally control with these things. Land they don't own or are responsible for can and is affected by dam behavior. Then see if the dam owner/authority has posted information you can find and understand, and decide if it might be safe to launch, paddle and take out on that water. I’m researching dams in Canada and the United States. This topic could be a full-time job for an army.

In this particular case on the Ottawa River in September 2010, it looks like heavy rainfall and dam releases caused the sudden and more obvious change in water levels. But when it comes to dams, especially hydroelectric dams, the bigger monsters that can open up when the demand for more power peaks, it can be even harder to know what to expect and when. This is something I didn't know or think about before.

Do you know where to go to get dam release news and alerts on waterways you paddle? Can you sign up for RSS feeds and email alerts? Do you know how many dams are on the river you paddle and where they are located?

Find a good resource, call someone, then post the useful links for your river(s) on your paddle website or blog so it becomes an easy reference for yourself and others.

Resources for you on one of my dam rivers – The Ottawa River (Ontario/Quebec, Canada):

Ontario Power Generation, Ottawa River dams

Ottawa Riverkeeper, information about dams on the Ottawa River

For more information about dams and the impact of dams worldwide see:
International Rivers - About Dams

Below are excerpts from the Ottawa Citizen/Yahoo news about the sudden surge on the Ottawa River in September 2010:
  
Wet weather, dam release creates sudden rise in Ottawa River, wreaks havoc with docks and boats
A sudden change in water levels on the Ottawa River (Ontario, Canada) in September 2010 surprised residents along the shore lines. They wound up with damaged docks and boats. September rains pushed just short of a record, and caused a sudden rise in the Ottawa River that surprised homeowners, boaters and even the experts.

The 90 millimetres of rain that fell upriver last weekend came downstream just in time to meet more rain falling here, raising the Ottawa River to spring-like levels from extreme lows.

Meredith Brown from the Ottawa Riverkeeper said the water rise was “not that inconsistent with how the dams operate. I’ve seen water levels go up twice (or) three times that much overnight because of dam releases.”

“Of course, nobody tells you, eh?” remarked a marina manager near Constance Bay.

The Ottawa River Regulating Committee posted this warning Tuesday evening on its website:

“As a result of significant rainfall, water levels along the Ottawa River are expected to rise for the next few days. Officials of the Ottawa River Regulating Committee would therefore like to alert residents along the river, particularly those that have wharves, docks and boats, to expect significant increases in water levels.”

But the “drastic” rise surprised even the committee, said spokesman Fergus McLaughlin.

“This year because it was so low and so dry, the (river) just shot up so fast that it was impossible to get a warning out.”

That’s because the computer can’t just add up the rain and spit out a perfect prediction, he said. There are too many variables, such as actual rainfall that doesn’t match the forecast, and a river that changes width and depth for every kilometre of its journey to the St. Lawrence.

More proof for my research on dams, that even if you can get data on dam locations, flow rates and predictions, and rainfall estimates, you can’t count on it. It’s a complicated network that can fool even the experts.

Ontario Power Generation put a warning on its website Wednesday about high levels and fast water in the Ottawa and Madawaska Rivers.

Isn’t that a little too late?

Early reports said Ontario Power Generation caused the change by opening up its Chats Falls dam at Arnprior. But Ontario Power Generation spokesman Ted Gruetzner said there was no major change there.

Passing the buck. Who does know what’s going on then?

Enough dam research for today. I’m off to plan something fun!

Seriously, I'm thinking skiing and I'm going to take some time to explore the paddlers that must paddle winter while the rest of us are happy for the time off to park and repair our boats! And I'm going to talk about yoga and cross-country skiing (maybe even snowshoeing) for paddlers who find winter tough. All things I was once convinced I hated!

See:
Paddlers who don't know they love cross-country skiing yet . . . but will!
Let's talk yoga, a Greenland Paddle and healing a wrecked shoulder Happy and safe paddling to those of you who must paddle in winter!
The BaffinPaddler

North Carolina Instructor Reviews the Maelstrom Vital 166

Here's more news on Maelstrom sea kayaks provided by a paddler and sea kayak instructor who recently headed out to coastal waters to give the Maelstrom Vital 166 a try.

Fern, from www.WannaKayak.com in North Carolina, U.S.A., contacted me a while back with some questions about the Maelstrom Vital 166. Several paddlers have, as they have been looking for more news and reviews from other paddlers on the new Maelstrom sea kayaks, the Maelstrom Vital 166 and the Vaag.

Also my BaffinPaddler Web stats show I'm getting the most Web traffic overall for my news on Maelstrom kayaks and Greenland paddling posts. Web stats are so great! So share your news. People are looking for it.

I fell in love with my Maelstrom Vital 166 on the first try and have been posting some of my own reviews and following the news and reviews from other, more experienced paddlers like Alex Matthews. Of course, no love story is perfect forever. But it's a great feeling when it hits! I was anxious to hear back from Fern after her recent trial and I asked if she would send us back news of her test paddle. Here it is.

Maelstrom Vital 166 Review, November 2010

I went to Sea Kayak Carolina www.seakayakcarolina.com in Charleston, South Carolina, United States to demo the much talked about Vital 166. The kayak is 16'6" with a 21" beam. First, I took the kayak out to the protected water to play with the edging, turning and rolling (it was quite good!). The next day, I took it in the open water and surf and it surpassed my expectations.

I found no inherent issues with the hatches - all components were secure. The kayak surfed beautifully. It held to expectations of consistent turning ability and was responsive whenever demanded.

About me - I've been kayaking for about 15 years, and am an ACA certified Instructor. I've owned a Valley Anas Acuta and P&H Sirius S. I presently own an NDK Pilgrim. I also have a Riot playboat for surfing - I didn't think I was looking for another kayak - but, the Vital changed my mind.

As a matter of fact, I fell in love and put in an order for one... perhaps it will arrive in time for my birthday. If you see a paddler in a kayak that looks like an Orca, it will be me.

This kayak proves that a kayak does not have to be short (14-15') to be suited to the smaller paddler, and provide outstanding all-around performance. Bravo Maelstrom! I will be posting an article with more detail on our website in the coming months - check in with us at www.WannaKayak.com soon.

Thanks for sharing your review Fern

And hey, Happy Birthday and congrats on your new boat! I'm so happy for you! It's so great to find a boat you love.

2012 Update: Maelstromkayak and Boreal Design are no longer manufacturing and distributing the Vital 166 or Vaag 174 sea kayaks. Boreal Design declared bankruptcy in 2012. The company was sold to another manufacturer along with the Vital and Vaag designs, which are no longer manufactured in Quebec or in Canada. Maelstromkayak has two new high-performance kayak models with new design features: the Forvag and Flod.

Happy Paddling and finding your perfect paddle mate(s)!
The BaffinPaddler

Magic spots. Simple, small and not so far away

Ever find a little out of the way magic spot that you normally wouldn't notice and not understand why?

Some place so simple, so small, and not so far away. But you could feel something there and not know what it was? A spot along the trail, or the water that makes you want to stop and linger while others pass by?

There are lots of spots. You can travel far and wide and be amazed by something so obviously spectacular, but at the end of the day, it's about what you feel.

I was surprised to find a little pond in New Hampshire that I would not normally even consider with a 16 or 17 foot sea kayak. It was only two miles long and one-half mile wide at the widest point. Not an exciting place to paddle. But a place to relax. The water glows at dawn and dusk. The stars dance off your paddle. Something magic.

Swim in it. Your skin will tell you the same. There is something special going on in a small pond, without all the development you find in so many once-nice places, no speed boats, only a few cottages, and lots of green things allowed to grow.
Find your pond.

Happy paddling and finding your special spots.
There are so many you can find with a kayak, but you may need to protect a few.
The Baffin Paddler

Alex Matthews, Adventure Kayak Magazine Reviews the Maelstrom Vital 166

Timing is everything!

I was at an outdoor store buying some new waterproof Merrell hiking boots (please don't ask me the model, I go by look and feel) and likely to be late for my next appointment where I'd have to sit and read something for a long time.

Yes, the totally vain Baffin Paddler was off to the salon to get highlights. I dread that stuff! So I grabbed my new boots and the Adventure Kayak mag that was staring at me from the rack across the room without looking at the cover or the (very brief) stories inside.

A few minutes later, covered in foil and smelly highlight stuff, I glanced at the cover of the magazine I'd just bought on impulse. Hmmm, Alex Matthews on the cover. I'm a fan. I like his articles, reviews and book on Sea Kayaking Rough Waters­.

Great, in the Adventure Kayak 2010 summer/fall issue, he reviewed the new Maelstrom Vital 166. Hey, that's my new boat!

I got a little nervous. I just posted my reaction to how the Maelstrom Vital 166 handled heading out into bigger wind and waves, and I was wondering how a man would find it. Maybe I'm too light. I was especially interested to find out what Alex Matthews thought about it. I was disappointed in the way the Maelstrom Vital headed into the waves. I thought I spent too much time rising up on the waves and crashing down on them, making headway difficult.

His take, ''When we were out in conditions reported as 30 knots gusting to 42, we found the Vital to be a wet ride, and it had a tendency to throw its bow high when riding over waves. This results in the bow deflecting and being blown off course. Speed seems average for a sea kayak of this length and design - a good compromise between speed demon and not damnably slow.''

There is more in Alex Matthew's review of the Maelstrom Vital 166 in Adventure Kayak. But they are pretty brief in their articles. I find I need more.

I'm a fan of Sea Kayaker Magazine. I hope they also review the new Maelstrom sea kayaks. If they do, or have already done so, please let me know.

Happy paddling and finding your perfect paddle mate(s)!
The Baffin Paddler

Comerford Reservoir, Connecticut River, New Hampshire: Paddling with Dams is Damned!

Looks nice doesn't it!?

The Comerford Reservoir, on the Connecticut River that borders New Hampshire and Vermont, in the United States.

Plenty of water, a nice sandy beach, easy boat launch, grass with picnic tables, lots of free parking, not much development along this stretch of the river towards the Moore Reservoir, and mountain views.

But what did I leave out of this shot just off to my left of the beautiful public access to the water?

The big monster. The dam monster. The Frank D. Comerford Dam.

There are much bigger dams of course. But they are all monsters for "us". Those of "us" who want to use the water once in a while, and know, "When is it safe for "us"? When can "we" use the water that you control? Could you let us know when it's OK?"

And guess what. I was paddling towards an even bigger dam, the massive 178 foot high Moore Dam on the Moore Reservoir.

"During boating season, water levels could vary from up to nine or ten feet."

Hey wait a minute! Isn't that when "we' want to use the water?

Isn't nine or ten feet a pretty significant change in water levels?

I'm only here from Canada visiting for one week with my 17 foot sea kayak. How much research do I need to do if I want to paddle this river, or any river? Where can I find the information I need to know about dam locations and flow rates? The uber friendly tourist centres around here provide me with maps of the area and tell me where the launch sites are, and some of them are very near the dams, danger signs, and very much in between dams.

"TransCanada hydro Northeast provides many day-use public access ramps and picnic areas around the reservoirs."

Gee thanks! Aren't you nice! And all this, at my own risk, according to your DANGER signs. Such a deal.

Paddling with dams is damned!

Here's a link to some flowcast information from Waterline. It is a national electronic publication that provides river flow forecasts and water level reports over the telephone and on the Web. Reservoir and hydropower control centers supply this flow data to Waterline, and all published flows are approximate.

But if you look at the numbers, they can really fluctuate throughout the day. I don't know what CFS means (yet). And forecasts are estimates only. "Actual flows will often vary and can change quickly at any time. Always be alert and wear an approved flotation device. Never go in or near the water until you know and accept the risks you are assuming by being in this area."

Ummm, really. What you are telling me (us) is that I can never go into "your water." How did you take it away from us so easily and in so many places?

No matter how much information is provided to the public, it's still hit or miss for us when dams are nearby.

On rivers we have to learn where and when it might be safe to paddle in between dams. I find it a lot of work and worry to research. Do you? And it keeps me off of some stretches of water I'd like to paddle more often.

On lazy summer or beautiful fall days, I never know what to think when I launch from public places they've created "for us" near one of their dams, and some of them can control a pretty wide berth of water and land. And there you are standing underneath one of their giant DANGER signs, far from the dam or right next to it. The ones that warn you that the water levels can suddenly change without warning. What kind of message does this send to the public, boaters, and paddlers?

For example, when you arrive at the "launch by the dam on the Comerford Reservoir", people are sitting on the picnic table. Families with children and dogs are swimming in the water right next to the dam with the big Danger sign next to their picnic table on the little sandy beach.

This bothers me!

How do we know when we can paddle or swim on our rivers? It seems that dams are controlling most or all of them. They are a necessary evil, and they are here to stay. So we need to know more about them. Where are they located? What kinds of flows are coming out of them at any time of year.

And, it's not easy to find out.

Is it really fair and reasonable to us, the public, boaters and paddlers, that water flows can change suddenly without warning because of them?

"If something happens to you, It's not our fault. We put up warning signs in some spots. On other parts of the river affected by what we do, well, that's your problem. Good luck! And, just try to contact some of us to find out about daily flows, predictions, or recommendations for the paddle you planned on "our river" and again, good luck! On most days, you'll be OK, except spring, other times of the year like summer and fall when you really want to paddle, you just never know. Maybe try cycling instead! We own the river now. Why don't you just boat or kayak on a lake or the ocean?"

That was my mock conversation with dam owners and operators, that I can't get a hold of or talk to when I want to plan a paddle on a river with a dam. Can you?

Looks pretty, doesn't it? The Comerford Reservoir. Yes.
And it was a nice calm paddle the day I visited the Comerford Reservoir with no problems at all on a beautiful September day, despite the warning sign at the dam launch. And because of the dams, there was a lot of water for me to paddle on.

What's next for the BaffinPaddler?

The BaffinPaddler is researching dams in Canada and the United States, contacting organizations and government bodies, and looking for someone to interview. "Paddling with dams is damned!"

It hit me at the Comerford Reservoir on the Connecticut River in New Hampshire, launching from the sandy beach and park with picnic tables and a parking lot for the public, next to the dam and a giant danger sign.

I've been thinking and wondering about dams for awhile as a paddler. I need to learn more.

I think we need better resources on the Web for the public and paddlers with information about dams that are useful to us when we want to plan a paddle or visit the water controlled by dams. Dams are a pain, and we're stuck with them! Researching a paddle is so much work!

A few paddlers have told me about hitting some scary or difficult water in between dams on rivers that would normally be quiet on lazy fall or summer days and they stopped paddling certain parts of rivers they liked.

I'm looking and hoping to build a Web resource about dams for paddlers with links to information that will make our paddle planning easier.

How do you feel about dams?

Happy and safe paddling.
The Baffin Paddler

BoaterExam.com, Hydroelectric Dams, Stay Clear, Stay Safe

Maelstrom Vital in Wind and Waves

I finally got my new Maelstrom Vital 166 out in some wind and waves to test it in something other than calm lake water and compare it with my Boreal Baffin.

This pic is from the launch in a protected bay. I couldn't really take a shot in the bigger waves and wind. I forgot to attach the float to my waterproof Olympus Stylus Tough camera (they sink without it), and the boat turns sideways too quickly on windy days before I can grab a pic. And I still can't roll yet. A head cam or a cam mounted on the boat would be great! I'm checking them out.

When there are whitecaps and lots of kite surfers out moving at speed on a big stretch of water, it's a good sign for boat play. And when you have a shallow protected bay without too many rocks to launch from on a sunny fall day, it's just perfect!

To be honest, I was disappointed in how the Maelstrom Vital headed into the bigger waves. It's one of those boats that jumps up and crashes down on the waves. It's annoying and doesn't let you make much headway against a strong wind.

I quickly found myself thinking about my Boreal Baffin. It cuts through the waves nicely and doesn't waste your time bashing and crashing on waves that you shouldn't have to bash and crash on. The next time the wind and waves kick up, I'm bringin' out the Baffin, I thought.

Another thing I noticed was, that when I wanted to turn into the wind with the Malestrom Vital 166, I had to work harder. The Boreal Baffin will turn into the slightest puff of wind, almost without effort. But try to convince the Baffin to turn away from a strong wind, and you may have an argument!

Once I turned the Maelstrom Vital into the wind, it was true. No problem. It does well in a cross wind, whereas, the Boreal Baffin weather cocks at an annoying level and almost always needs the skeg. Could we get these two boats to breed and make the perfect boat to play with!?

Turning the Malestrom Vital away from the wind was quite easy. It seems to like to surf. "This is what I'm made for!" OK, I get it. But you aren't much fun heading into the waves, and I REALLY LIKE THAT IN MY BAFFIN!

The Malestrom Vital will take you far and away quickly in wind and following waves and it stayed pretty true without much effort or skeg in 20 km wind. The Boreal Baffin will usually twist me sideways much faster.

All in all, I find both boats very stable and fun paddle mates. And it begs the question, "Who do you choose to paddle with on any given day?"

The next time the water gets bumpy, I'd love to haul the Malestrom Vital 166, Boreal Baffin, and find a Valley Avocet to play with in the same water and compare.

It looks like I'm still looking for "my" boat!

Happy paddling and finding your perfect paddle partner(s)

The Baffin Paddler

Love the Valley Avocet!

I love the Valley Avocet . . . for fun. But didn't buy one . . . yet.
I'd like one . . . if they make improvements to some basic design elements!

I'd like Valley to work on making their seats something I'd like to sit in!
So far, I don't know anyone who likes their seats! And it's a well known complaint. Come on Valley! When I buy a new boat, I shouldn't have to redo the seat before I can paddle the boat, although lots of high end paddlers do just that with every boat they buy.

Read what Gnarlydognews in Australia has to say about problems with Valley seats and how he "fixes" them.
DIY: Replacement carbon-fiber seat in Valley kayak - August 7, 2012

I already have two boats: The Boreal Baffin and Maelstrom Vital. And I'm perfectly happy in the factory installed seats in each one. Although in the Boreal Baffin, I had to add a bit of foam for a tighter fit. The Baffin is a bit big on me. I'm a 5'6", 125 lbs. girl.

I also didn't like the short awkward coaming around the cockpit of the Valley Avocet.
It was next to impossible for me to get my skirt on this thing. Not something I have time to fiddle with in bigger water, or that I care to waste my time on.

The handling of the Valley Avocet is insanely sweet!
You can put the Valley Avocet on insane edges and it's so easy to manoeuvre. Put it on an edge, and you can easily spin it like a top! It feels so light. I like boats that are great at getting sideways and quick to move when you want to. When you don't have bigger or faster water to play in, it's great to have a boat you can easily amuse yourself with in calm water. As of the 2010 paddling season, I still can't roll my Boreal Baffin or new Maelstrom Vital 166, but I'm not tempted to learn rolling in the Valley Avocet. Just play with it.

You can't get me out of the Avocet once I get in and get a skirt on it, except the water is totally running into the cockpit from the ill-fitting skirt and difficult to fit short coaming and keyhole cockpit.

 You hardly or don't even need a paddle to keep the Valley Avocet upright on a pretty decent edge.

The good news is: Valley boats are coming back to Ottawa Spring 2011
I'll give the Valley Avocet another try this coming spring when Ottawa Paddle Shack brings them back to Ottawa. Trailhead had them for awhile but didn't keep them.

Valley Sea Kayaks has also set up shop in Rhode Island, U.S.A., so bringing them into our National Capital area of Canada will be a little more affordable. And we'll have the boats in thermoform to try. I'm not at all sold on anything thermoform though. But at 34 lbs, the thermoform Avocet will be a pretty light boat, and at least worth a trial!

And I'm not the only paddler who questions and is leery about thermoform. I don't like all the flex I feel on the hull! I looked at a thermoform boat last year and said, "no way", I don't trust it. But here's a great article on the pros and cons of the material and a video of a guy pounding a thermoform kayak hull with a hammer from H2Ohio.  The article is from 2008, so the question to ask in 2011 is how much more have they improved on the material and design of thermoform in the last two years? Or have they?

Here's the thermoform hammer test on a kayak hull
Pretty scarey guy with a hammer! But an impressive test. Try doing this on your fibreglass or plastic boat!
I may have to reconsider thermoform? I had no idea it was so tough.


There will be lots to explore and check out in paddle season 2011! At least for me. New destinations, boats, materials, and gear! I'll be making a list!

Read other Valley Avocet reviews on Paddling.net

How many boats do you love paddling? It's always nice to find another.

Happy boat trials!
The BaffinPaddler