Deerfield - 4) Bear Swamp to Zoar Gap (Fife Brook Section)


Deerfield, Massachusetts, US

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4) Bear Swamp to Zoar Gap (Fife Brook Section)

Usual Difficulty II(III) (for normal flows)
Avg. Gradient 25 fpm

Zoar Gap


Zoar Gap
Photo by Shawn Sullivan @ ~1100 cfs

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
DEERFIELD RIVER AT CHARLEMONT, MA
usgs-01168500 700 - 1500 cfs II(III) 00h46m 1240 cfs (rc= 0.7 )


River Description

 

2011 Deerfield releases (Fife Brook) 106 release dates
April May June July August September October
Wed.,13th Sun., 1st Sat., 11th Fri., 1st Wed., 3rd Thur., 1st Sat., 1st
Thur.,14th Sat., 7th Sun., 12th Sat., 2nd Thur., 4th Fri., 2nd Sun., 2nd
Fri., 15th Sun., 8th Thur., 16th Sun., 3rd Fri., 5th Sat., 3rd Wed., 5th
Sat., 16th Sat., 14th Fri., 17th Mon., 4th Sat., 6th Sun., 4th Thur., 6th
Sun., 17th Sun., 15th Sat., 18th Sat., 9th Sun., 7th  Mon., 5th Fri., 7th
Wed.,20th Wed., 18th Sun., 19th Sun., 10th Thur.,11th Wed., 7th  Sat., 8th
Thur., 21st Thur., 19th Wed., 22nd Wed., 13th Fri., 12th Thur., 8th Sun., 9th
Fri., 22nd Fri., 20th Thur., 23rd Thur., 14th Sat., 13th  Fri., 9th Wed. 12th
Sat., 23rd Sat., 21st Fri., 24th Fri., 15th Sun., 14th Sat., 10th  Thur.,13th
Sun., 24th Sun., 22nd Sat., 25th Sat., 16th Thur.,18th Sun., 11th  Fri., 14th
Wed.,27th Wed., 25th Sun., 26th Sun., 17th Fri., 19th Wed.,14th   
Thur.,28th Thur., 26th Wed., 29th Wed., 20th  Sat., 20th Thur., 15th  
Fri., 29th Fri., 27th Thur., 30th Thur., 21st  Sun., 21st  Fri., 16th  
Sat., 30th  Sat., 28th    Fri., 22nd Thur.,25th Sat., 17th   
   Sun., 29th   Sat., 23rd  Fri., 26th Sun., 18th   
   Mon., 30th   Sun., 24th  Sat., 27th    
       Wed., 27th  Sun., 28th    
       Thur., 28th       
       Fri., 29th      
      Sat., 30th        
      Sun., 31st       

Releases from Fife Brook Dam start between 9:30 am and 12 noon, with a flow of at least 700 cfs, for a 3-hour duration.  4 hour release on July 13, 14, and 15

 

Special Events


July 29, 30, 31: Deerfield Riverfest sponsored by American Whitewater

 


StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2011-06-07 00:55:27

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Fife Brook Deerfield River, MA(38.47KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Fife Brook Deerfield River, MA(509.49KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap routes

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap routes  Fife Brook Deerfield River, MA(124.35KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(114.35KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(126.35KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(319.87KB .jpeg)

Hangover Helper

Detail Trip Report  Hangover Helper  Deerfield, MA(45.89KB .jpeg)

Fife Brook dam

Detail Trip Report  Fife Brook dam  Deerfield, MA(37.27KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(35.97KB .jpeg)

Surfing at Freight Train

Detail Trip Report  Surfing at Freight Train  Deerfield (Fife Brook), MA(37.54KB .jpeg)

Carbis Bend

Detail Trip Report  Carbis Bend  Deerfield (Fife Brook), MA(38.74KB .jpeg)

Java ender

Detail Trip Report  Java ender  Deerfield River, MA(72.42KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(75.18KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(71.60KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(83.17KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap  Deerfield, MA(79.22KB .jpeg)

Pat Rogers: second Zoar Gap run

Detail Trip Report  Pat Rogers: second Zoar Gap run  Fife Brook section of the Deerfield River, MA(2.28MB .mov)

Fife Brook at Night

Detail Trip Report  Fife Brook at Night  Deerfield, MA(5.65MB .jpeg)

zoar gap

Detail Trip Report  zoar gap  deerfield, ma(41.39KB .jpeg)

Zoar Gap Run

Detail Trip Report  Zoar Gap Run  Deerfield, MA(11.57KB .jpeg)


Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

This gage is several miles below the Fife Brook section. The bubble takes about 3-4 hours to get to the gage. A typical release is 700 cfs and generally start between 9:30 am and noon. For current and the next days release information from Fife Brook dam go to the Waterline FlowCaste website. You can also call 1-800-452-1737 and at the prompt key in 255123 for the same web based information over the phone. Careful, though; they seem to change their collective mind at the drop of a helmet.

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
DEERFIELD RIVER AT CHARLEMONT, MA
usgs-01168500 700 - 1500 cfs II(III) 00h46m 1240 cfs (rc= 0.7 )

RangeWater LevelDifficultyComment
700 -1500 cfs barely runnable-high runnable II(III)

Report - Reports of Deerfield 4) Bear Swamp to Zoar Gap (Fife Brook Section) and related gauges

Reports give the public a chance to report on river conditions throughout the country as well as log the history of a river.

Reports

When River/Gauge Subject Level Reporter
Fife Brook Deerfield River [MA] Zoar Gap routes post-release, < 600 David Brucas
Fife Brook Deerfield River [MA] Zoar Gap ~1100 cfs Shawn Sullivan
1y318d09h46m /Deerfield-Fife Brook Section [MA] Account of 03/29/10 0.00 ft Patti Vaughn
4y200d00h15m Deerfield [MA] Fife Brook at Night n/a Ben VanCamp
5y197d08h15m Deerfield (Fife Brook) [MA] Surfing at Freight Train 700 cfs Mark Lacroix
6y133d08h15m Deerfield [MA] Zoar Gap Run n/a Carlos Estrada
7y158d08h15m deerfield [ma] zoar gap 900 bill archambeault
7y253d08h15m Fife Brook section of the Deerfield River [MA] Pat Rogers: second Zoar Gap run 900(?) cfs John Ryan Shackleton
8y177d08h15m Deerfield [MA] Zoar Gap n/a Patrick Rogers
8y200d08h15m Deerfield [MA] Zoar Gap 1000 cfs Mark Lacroix
8y222d08h15m Deerfield [MA] Zoar Gap n/a Patrick Rogers
9y122d08h15m Deerfield River [MA] Java ender ? Patrick Rogers

WXPort

News





User Comments
2004-08-03 10:59:11 (2747 days ago)
Brad RobertsDetails
Fife brook is just about a perfect beginner stream. A nice splashy class 2 rapid at the top. Then
pool drop class two until you get to the zoar gap rapid, a nice solid textbook class three. From
the road the run looks like its nothing but flatwater, but I was pleastantly surprised. The current
moves fast and there is quite a bit of class 2 play the whole way down. Once again, great for a
beginner to practice ferry's, surfing and peel outs. With the big rapid in sight of the takeout,
makes for a great way to cap off the run!!<br>
The water is pretty chilly as a result of the damn release. We were wearing long sleave tops in
August.
Users can submit comments.

Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
0.0Put inPutin Photo
0.1Hangover HelperIIPhoto
1.0Carbis BendIIPhoto
1.5Freight TrainIIPhoto
2.3PinballII
4.8Zoar GapIII+Photo

Rapid Descriptions

Put in

Fife Brook dam

Fife Brook dam
Photo by Mark L taken 07/27/03 @ 1000 cfs

You can put in near the dam at the end of the road were there is a stairway leading down to the river, or skip the warm up and put in at the vehicle turnaround .1 miles downstream.

Hangover Helper (Class II, Mile 0.1)

Hangover Helper

Hangover Helper
Photo by Mark L taken 07/27/03 @ 1000 cfs

Easy straightforward rapid. There is a large pool at the bottom to recover equipment.

Carbis Bend (Class II, Mile 1.0)

Carbis Bend

Carbis Bend
Photo by Mark Lacroix taken 07/29/06 @ 700 cfs

Good surfing at the bottom of the drop. Large eddy and rock beach downstream on river left.

Freight Train (Class II, Mile 1.5)

Surfing at Freight Train

Surfing at Freight Train
Photo of Heidi by Mark Lacroix taken 07/29/06 @ 700 cfs

Nice surfing waves, good squirt lines at the bottom under the railroad bridge.

Pinball (Class II, Mile 2.3)
Also known as Rock Garden. Medium size boulders in this long rapid are great for eddy practice.

Zoar Gap (Class III+, Mile 4.8)

Zoar Gap

Zoar Gap
Photo of Sharon Lacroix by Mark L taken 07/27/03 @ 1000 cfs

This rapid changed a little during a flood in 2001 therefore it is a little more difficult than it used to be. It is at least 1to 2 classes more difficult than anything else a paddler has encountered so far on this river section so most boaters chose to walk around this rapid on river right. To recognize the entrance to Zoar Gap look for the second concrete road embankment on river right. The first one is shortly after the "Island" (take the left channel). The second road view is further downstream. Look for a well used pull out on river right usually marked with streamers or something else in the trees. The drop is short but filled with rocks and holes making a straight run through difficult without flipping. To get an idea of the best ways through the “Gap” check out David Bucas’s Zoar Gap routes.



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 4) Bear Swamp to Zoar Gap (Fife Brook Section), Deerfield Massachusetts, US (mobile)