One of the things Matt Perry of Riverside Outfitters and I talked about during our recent conversation was how persistent drought conditions affect a business like his that’s so reliant on weather. He said by the end of last summer they had to cancel a number of trips down the James because the water was below 3.5 feet. For some perspective, at 5-6 feet you have Class IV rapids. At 4-4.5 feet you don’t have huge waves but his guides can turn the boats around and surf in the waves, which can’t be done when the river is way up.

“As long as it’s north of 3.8 you can make it a fun experience,” he said.

RO will take its first customers of the 2008 season down the river on April 5th. If you want big whitewater—some of those Class IV rapids—April and May are the months to go before the summer low-water doldrums set in.

By the way, the National Weather Service’s link for the Westham Gauge on the James has some cool figures on historical floods in Richmond as well as giving the current river level.

Posted by Andy Thompson in • Outdoors • Boating • Canoeing & Kayaking
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