Almost a low-water tragedy...
 

We talk a lot about the dangerous hydraulics below low-head dams. Here's another problem with them...

I received a call from an experienced Niles canoeist who was recently paddling with a friend down the Mahoning River from Leavittsburg to Niles.

At the isolated industrial dam south of Warren, off of Main. Ave. SW (and between it and Pine Ave.SE , aka Niles-Warren River Rd. SE, Warren Ave.) they were surprised by an unexpected and dangerous problem.

As they approached the dam and tried to exit left for a portage around the dam, the front paddler was getting out. The rear paddler wasn't as lucky.
With the low water, not flowing OVER the dam, but rather UNDER it, it created a hydraulic sucking force that pulled their 17" aluminum canoe and the rear paddler down UNDER the upstream side of the dam!

The unlucky paddler was carried UNDER the dam and deposited on the downstream side. Luckily, he survived and was able the tell me about his near-death experience!

The canoe was caught in the upstream force and remained there for several days until the water rose and pushed it over the dam. It was badly damaged and is now in a scrapyard.

Extremely Lucky
 

This guy was extremely lucky. There could have been rebar or some other obstruction beneath the dam to keep him from flushing through. Do you know how close he was to the dam when attempting to get off the river to carry around?

That is why we don't do Perkins park to niles. If put in at Perkins park I take out behind a church for a quick 2.5 mile section. In my younger day I learn to stay away from that dam. I call it the wci dam. Don't screw with that dam. if you ever have question about the Mahoning let me know. I have done a total of 112 miles it with notes of doe's and don'ts over the years. Glad to hear everyone is ok