Gauge Description:

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, CP&L schedules regular releases from the Walters power plant into the Pigeon River Gorge. Water is usually released Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 12 noon to 6 pm. This can be confirmed by calling 800-899-4435. The put-in is just below the dam, so the river can be run almost as soon as the river is "turned on." The current drought conditions could prevent some scheduled releases, so it is not a bad idea to call for confirmation.

Unscheduled releases occur throughout the year whenever power is generated. Unscheduled releases are subject to change and often are not announced on the 1-800 number. One option for catching unscheduled releases is to monitor the online gauge located just downstream of the power plant ( Big Pigeon at Waterville); another is to call the power plant at 828-486-5965.

The standard recreational release is the minimum CP&L is allowed, 1,200 cfs. Natural flow generally adds at least 100 cfs to this. 2000 cfs is optimum, and if more than 2200-2400 cfs is flowing, extra water is coming in from Big Creek and/or the Pigeon Dries. There are reports of the Gorge being run as low as low as 300 cfs, but this is not common.