Gauge Information

Gauge Description:


It's never too low for the MD Lines.  Below 2.6' is ELF, but there are runnable channels at least down to 2.4', and most summers the river never gets that low.  So when everyone else is whining about the drought, you still have a class V playground in your backyard.  Count your blessings.  I'd say 2.6' to 2.7' is a good first time level.  Above 2.8' the holes get mean, and above 3.0' they're vicious.  The MD Lines can certainly be run higher than 3.1', but if you're considering it you don't need this guide.


The gage is located at Little Falls (aka Brookmont) Dam, where the river is very wide.  Consequently, an inch on the gage can translate to a foot at Great Falls.  The gage is also 8-9 miles downstream, so if the river is rising or falling rapidly there could be a discrepancy between the gage reading and the actual level.  Scout the rapids visually if there is any doubt.  (You were going to do that anyway, right?)

USGS Potomac River / Little Falls Gage

NOAA Prediction for Little Falls Gage

 

 

 

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA
usgs-01646500 2.00 - 3.50 ft V+ 00h43m 3.9 ft (rc= 1.6 )
not a fun level except for locals with psychological problems. pummel is nuts and the sneaks arent much better. Z-turn is huge and merges with Charlies hole.

RangeWater LevelDifficultyComment
2.00 -2.70 ft barely runnable-med runnable IV-V+ its NEVER too low. The Notch (left side of pummel) is plenty juicy. pencil sharpener is fairly tame, and horseshoe right is reasonable. the knuckle in the mid
2.70 -3.10 ft med runnable-a bit pushy runnable V Pummel is great in this range but the bottom rapids require careful attention. Z-turn is the prefered line through 2nd drop, and horseshoe is a doozy. i recomm
3.10 -3.50 ft a bit pushy runnable-high runnable V+ baller status! These flows are very pushy and frequented only by expert locals. eddying out is difficult so find a direct line into Horseshoe
3.50 -4.20 ft barely High-extremely High V+ not a fun level except for locals with psychological problems. pummel is nuts and the sneaks arent much better. Z-turn is huge and merges with Charlies hole.
4.30 -6.50 ft somewhat High-somewhat High V+ Brine Line levels. river left of pummel. Starts with the Flume, a big slide into a junky wall then the Taliban foxhole, then you peel out into the main curren

Report - Reports of Potomac 3. Great Falls (MD Lines) 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
Potomac [MD] BOOF! 4.1 Potomac Pathways
Potomac River [MD] Looking down from Pummel n/a Scott Anderson
1y137d14h55m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) [MD] Mark Loeffler, Entering Pencil Sharpener 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
1y137d14h56m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) [MD] Sean Devine, the Notch 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
1y137d15h06m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) [MD] Scott Anderson, Horseshoe 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
1y137d15h56m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) [MD] Andy Maser freewheeling the Notch 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
1y137d16h03m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) [MD] John Haddock in the Notch 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
1y137d16h06m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) [MD] the Onlooker 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
1y137d16h12m /Potomac River-Great Falls (MD Lines) Andrew Maser in the Notch 0 cfs Brett Mayer-Aschhoff
4y212d11h27m Potomac [MD] The Notch 2.69 Scott Anderson
4y215d11h27m Potomac [MD] Z-Turn 2.76 Scott Anderson
4y226d11h27m Potomac [MD] Pummel 2.9 Scott Anderson