Pawcatuck River – Potter Hill to Westerly – June 11, 2012

I headed down to South County yesterday to run the Pawcatuck River from Potter Hill to Westerly with the RICKA Flatwater group.  The river was at a nice level – 5ft., 550 cfs. on the Westerly gage.  We had a large group – 21 boats, 3 canoes and 18 kayaks.

We put-in a little upstream, but the normal put-in would be off Laurel Street just downstream from the Potter Hill Dam in Ashaway. We spent some time playing in the waves below the dam before moving downstream.

Below Potter Hill the river is mostly flatwater running though woods and fields for 3 ½ miles until it reaches the White Rock Dam.  The dam can be portaged on the right, but we ran the millrace to the left.  It is often described as class II whitewater, but it was more like quickwater/class I yesterday.  There is one nice playhole, and we found Duke Wavewalker enjoying the hole with a couple of friends. 

Below White Rock, the River is mostly flatwater with one short quickwater section before we reached downtown Westerly.  We took out at the boat ramp on Main Street.

Getting some pictures of the action below the Potter Hill Dam

Links:

My Pictures

Westerly Gage
Trip description from Rhode Island Blueways