Beaver Creek,

Pellisippi Parkway to Melton Hill Lake

Usual Difficulty	I-II (may vary with level)
Length	5 Miles
Avg. Gradient	20 fpm
Max Gradient	30 fpm

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
BEAVER CREEK AT SOLWAY, TN
usgs-03535400	120 - 400 cfs	I-II	01h27m	112 cfs (rc= -0.0 )

River Description

This run has smelly brown water, but so does Crooked Fork. The difference is Crooked Fork has good rapids, and this one is very low gradient. The stream moves suprisingly well though, with continuous class 1 riffles and occasional features. The scenery is better than you would think, and its cool to float on moving water with riffles 15 minutes from downtown K-town. It has a relatively remote feel considering its in West Knoxville. I am sure the water quality is no good, but it can't be as bad as some of the runs those Metro ATL boaters hit like Sweetwater and the Metro Hooch. The watershed at the putin is 86 square miles, which is pretty sizable. You can run this after a half inch of rain in Knoxville anytime of the year I would think.

Here is a description:
Putin at Solway Park, right off Solway road. You can carry down to the creek at the bridge. There is a side-surf spot there and a usgs gauge on the river left wall. From here don't expect much, as this is a complete beginner run. The only exception is the occasional strainer that must be dealt with. There are frequent shoals, riffles, and eddies, with a nice surf wave at 1.6 on the Swafford gauge a few miles in. Before passing under Swafford bridge there is a class 2 chute and some nice s-bends. Below here there are maybe 2 more class 2 rapids. You hit the lake at about mile 4.25 and have a half to 3/4 mile lake paddle to the takeout, which is on river left at the first point where you see a gravel road come down to the lake. This is TVA land and can be used as an easy take out. Just carry up the old road about 300 yards and you are at the small parking area.

Access: Use Solway park to park at the putin, launching at Solway Road bridge. Takeout is reached by going towards Hardin Valley Road on Solway from the putin, and taking a right on Sam Lee road. This will eventually turn into some other road, but after about 3 miles, take a right on Couch Mill. This will go about a mile and then you will veer right to not go on a private road. Shortly you will be driving through a very wealthy neighborhood and will dead end in a cul-de-sac. There is a smaller drive that goes straight through the cul-de-sac. Take that 50 yards to a little parking area in front of a closed gate. This is TVA land and seems like a pretty safe place to park and leave your car. Walk down to the lake to mark your takeout. Total shuttle is about 8 minutes and 5 miles.