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O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2026 9:24 pm
by paddlin_bill
Hello paddlers!

I am on the schedule to lead a trip this Saturday at Balcony Falls. The water level today is 685 cfs at Buchannon, plus whatever might be trickling down the Maury, and no real rain in the forecast. I've never paddled it that low, but my record keeping is not that great. I'll check with some folks that keep better records than me.
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I've gotten some interest, even from some folks in the Raleigh area. Given their travel time we'll meet at 11am at the put-in

Let me know if you're coming so I don't leave without you!

Thanks,
-B

Re: O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2026 9:54 pm
by bambam
I'll be out of town for your trip, regrets.

From my notes:

11/23/08: Probably lowest ever for me. 1.95 at Buchanan, 378 cfs there plus 109 Maury at BV gives 487. We managed to find routes through everything but choices were limited.

Cheers,

Ken Dubel

Re: O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2026 6:13 am
by GinnyN
8/17/24 693+140 = 833 cfs low, but nice level
9/4/19 586+80 = 666 darn close to the lowest I'd ever want to go. Lovely day.
10/15/17 650+92 = 742
8/20/17 724+115 = 839 Bill, you were on this trip
7/19/17 663+97 = 760 lots of algae. I think this is my preferred minimum level
9/11/10 489+46 = 535


It's currently 650 + 90 = 740 I am on the fence as to whether I want to go. It's do-able. The ledges above Balcony will be challenging to your river reading skills. That will be a learning experience. Balcony itself will be boney with more of a noticeable drop.

I can't imagine Ken's 487 cfs trip. note that the there must have been some major recent rain for the Maury to be over a quarter of that total.

Re: O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2026 12:19 pm
by Terri
Please count me in. Thanks for coordinating Bill!

Terri

Re: O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2026 5:49 pm
by John and Linda VanLuik
I am in
John

Re: O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2026 9:14 am
by edwin_talley
I’ll be there. Time and place?

Re: O.C.T. Saturday 6/20 - Balcony Falls

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2026 11:03 am
by paddlin_bill
Glad to have you Edwin. Combined flow is at about 650 now. We'll meet at 11 at Locher Landing. It'd be great to be running shuttle at 11 by I already posted meet time so we'll see.

We'll have to decide afterwards if this level is in ELF territory (extremely low flow)!