Trumbull Canoe Trails

Trumbull Canoe Trails (http://www.trumbullcanoetrails.org/forum/index.php)
-   Trips (Unofficial) (http://www.trumbullcanoetrails.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5)
-   -   Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek (http://www.trumbullcanoetrails.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1170)

JPTolson 05-22-2018 08:00 PM

Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek
 
TCT,
I saw this trip posted on the Columbiana County Park District Facebook page: The Saturday that the notice is referring to is May 26.

JP

Columbiana County Park District

Are you ready to brave the Middle Fork of the Little Beaver Creek? We will hold a kayak/canoe run on Saturday at 10 a.m. We will put in our craft at the Covered Bridge on Eagleton Road and paddle downstream to the canoe launch area close to the PL&W railroad station in Lisbon. For more information, call the park office at 330 424 9078. (note: this depends on the weather the day of the event)

mfdanko99 05-22-2018 09:41 PM

Figures, I have to work :(
Never did that section

BOBK 05-23-2018 09:18 AM

Having peddled the bike path that follows this section of Little Beaver Creek on several occasions, I advise anyone that can make this paddle to do so. It is an absolutely gorgeous section of the creek.

KenM 05-23-2018 01:34 PM

the details...
 
I called the park and asked about this paddle. The paddle starts 10 am at the covered bridge near Teagarden and ends at the launch that is on the south side of Lisbon. The dam at Willow Grove has been removed. I measure this run at 5.8 miles.

This is a first time event for Columbiana Parks. There are NO shuttles. You need to supply your own transport... So really this could be done anytime (if there was water).

The Park's concern at this time was maybe having too much water with the last rainfall. Hard to say? I would almost think it might be low? Anyone have a feel for water level here? The next rain/thunderstorms might be Sunday. I did get a mobile phone number for the coordinator for last minute questions.

Anyone have an interest in this section? Fri, Sat, or other time?

BOBK 05-23-2018 02:04 PM

Ken, every time I have peddled on the trail next to it, no matter the time of year, it has always looked to be too low to paddle.

JPTolson 05-23-2018 02:40 PM

Four years ago I paddled this section (the one and only time that I’ve paddled it) with Bruce and Dianne Ambrose and Ron Eells. The gage at Grimm’s Bridge was 5.0, and we estimated that we had about two to three inches of water. There is also a low-water bridge immediately downstream after Route 164 crosses the river in Lisbon. It was not an issue at that water level, but a couple more feet of water could make it a problem. Supposedly there is also a small dam somewhere in that vicinity (not the dam upstream at Willow Grove Park that, as Ken mentioned, has been removed), but we never noticed it. As BOBK indicated, this is a pretty section of the Middle Fork. However, the scenery gets pretty trashy once into Lisbon. We paddled all the way through Lisbon and took out at the ODNR access area in Elkton. Hope this helps.

KenM 05-24-2018 09:09 AM

190 cfs where?
 
The 1983 Canoeing Ohio book states a min of 190 cfs for this section... but doesn't mention where that figure came from. If from the Grimms that's a long way away and a many small (dry) streams on 3 branches later. At gage 2.9ft = 172 cfs (not verified). I doubt that info helps very much... but it's easier to google than drive to Lisbon. Ha. Really though, maybe I'll just take a ride and go look.

I wonder if a long time ago there was a gage at Willow Grove dam?

On another note I came across this website... don't remember if we had it listed for gage info. Some neat graphics if you poke around.

http://snoflo.org/report/flow/ohio/l...-liverpool-oh/

KenM 05-24-2018 09:33 AM

more Google...
 
another write-up:
-
-
A nice chance to paddle Little Beaver Creek. You can float nearly 9 miles and make almost the entire shuttle on the Little Beaver Creek Greenway.

The LBC Greenway ( http://www.bicycletrail.com/Greenway.htm )
runs between Lisbon & Leetonia, with short road ride separating an extension on to Washingtonville. Parking isn't available at all the crossroads, so check the parking areas on the map and plan your ride around them. The trail is paved, with a few portions with minor, but noticeable hills.

The creek is mostly flat water, with occasional class I riffles, easily paddled by a canoe at normal water levels. Look for at least 400 cfs on the online USGS Little Beaver Creek stream gauge

Most of the creek should be clear, but there may be a few places that have downed trees to portage around. The biggest hazard is at Willow Grove Park, where there is a low head dam just past the take out - THIS DAM MUST BE AVOIDED. You can plan a paddling trip of nearly 9 miles and ride almost the entire shuttle on the trail. For a shorter trip paddle from Franklin Square (route 558) down to Teegarden bridge and ride back, or ride upstream from Lisbon to Teegarden and paddle back downstream. [edited]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vi...476394653&z=15

JPTolson 05-25-2018 06:00 AM

Definitely a paddle/pedal trip opportunity from Franklin Square to Lisbon with “shuttle” via the Greenway Trail. Above Franklin Square to Route 14 there would be several low water bridges to contend with, although the bike trail separates from the middle fork around Leetonia.

Canoeing Guide to Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia (1991 edition and 2005 online edition) covers LBC including the middle fork. It says gage should be over 4.3 feet for this section. Based on my one-time experience, I think 4.3 would be too low, though as Ken points out, the gage is quite a distance downstream.

swampboy62 05-25-2018 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenM (Post 4864)
another write-up:
-
-
A nice chance to paddle Little Beaver Creek. You can float nearly 9 miles and make almost the entire shuttle on the Little Beaver Creek Greenway.

The LBC Greenway ( http://www.bicycletrail.com/Greenway.htm )
runs between Lisbon & Leetonia, with short road ride separating an extension on to Washingtonville. Parking isn't available at all the crossroads, so check the parking areas on the map and plan your ride around them. The trail is paved, with a few portions with minor, but noticeable hills.

The creek is mostly flat water, with occasional class I riffles, easily paddled by a canoe at normal water levels. Look for at least 400 cfs on the online USGS Little Beaver Creek stream gauge

Most of the creek should be clear, but there may be a few places that have downed trees to portage around. The biggest hazard is at Willow Grove Park, where there is a low head dam just past the take out - THIS DAM MUST BE AVOIDED. You can plan a paddling trip of nearly 9 miles and ride almost the entire shuttle on the trail. For a shorter trip paddle from Franklin Square (route 558) down to Teegarden bridge and ride back, or ride upstream from Lisbon to Teegarden and paddle back downstream. [edited]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vi...476394653&z=15

That's one of my maps. I've ridden that trail probably a hundred times. The flow level is an educated guess, but it probably on the low side. Maybe my tolerance for low water runs is decreasing, but where I used to think of 300 cfs as an absolute low for Beaver Creek from the mill down to Sprucevale, now I'd almost double that. So for a more realistic level for that section I'd guess a bare minimum of 800.

I'm going to go revise that map text right now. Sorry to have posted misleading info.

Steve Z


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:40 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.