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River Access
CCA is the voice of the D.C. paddling community working to preserve and extend paddling access to our rivers and streams. Some of our work is along and across the C&O Canal, keeping Seneca Creek clear, pushing for a better put in for Goose Creek including steps around the dam, and working with others to preserve access at multiple points to the fine whitewater at Harpers Ferry.
Our River Access Committee focuses on moves by the authorities and corporations (the C&O Canal Park, Loudoun Parks, and the CSX RR) in Georgetown, Montgomery & Loudoun Counties, and Harpers Ferry that deeply affect our ability to get to the Potomac and tributaries. For current Canal Water Levels go to River Access page 2.
Recent Projects
C&O Canal Park Plans Two-Year Repair Projects at Lock 5
CCA Access Goals:
1. Get the lower C&O Canal re-watered sooner rather than later to facilitate paddling on the river (the Little Falls and Violettes/ GW Canal paddle-back loops)
2. Improve physical access for the elderly, disabled veterans and beginning paddlers at popular access points (Lock 5, Lock 10, Sandy Beach, Anglers, Violettes)
3. Press for better access to Goose Creek.
4. Reverse the CSX RR’s blocking the Weverton crossing near Harpers Ferry. We're in discussions, too, with natural allies like Team River Runner and the Washington Canoe Club.
Please join us if you're interested in working on securing or improving access to a specific stream. Dave Cottingham, Jack Findling, Pam White, Barb Brown, Jim Scott John Snitzer, and Alf Cooley are among those engaged.
Contact Access Committee Chair Gordon L Lang at gorlang@yahoo.com if you would like to become involved.
Some of our achievements and projects.
Our most prominent access achievement was in 2019 at Trump Golf Club across from Violettes Lock. CCA sued the US Coast Guard in 2018 over their blocking the river and won.
Canoers Declare Victory In Trump Golf Course Dispute, Gaining Potomac Access _ WAMU
Canoe v. Trump: Local Paddlers Sue Over Potomac Access Next To President’s Golf Course
Cruiser_2019_07_Summer
For this action CCA Wins ACA Green Paddle Award for 2019
Goose Creek Access Analysis and Recommendations
C&O Canal Presentation 2020
CCA to MDDOT on Bridge-11-29-2021.pdf
Washington, DC Area
Fletcher's Cove
Supporting the proposed renovation of the entrance to the area. Cruiser_2019_03_March_April
C&O Canal Re-watering C&O Canal Maps C&O Canal Presentation 2020
John Snitzer and Barb Brown followed up several informal contacts with the C&O NHP by meeting in early 2018 with its Superintendent Kevin Brandt and his deputy John Noel at Park HQ up in Hagerstown to discuss how we might cooperate to see that boater interests were taken into account as the Park moves ahead with its $7 million project to refill portions of the Canal between Violettes Lock and Georgetown. We continue to be engaged with them.
Sandy Beach Steps
Critical boaters' descent from Lock 17 to the Potomac's Mather Gorge - - We and the volunteer part of the C&O Park had scheduled reconstruction and improvement, but lost our priority. Will keep plugging. (Aug 2019) - Then came COVID-19.
Goose Creek
Prime beginner river, closed since 9/11. We explored likely put-ins, where a facility comparable to the Kephart Landing take-out is in the wind, but found no construction. However, we did find a way to the Goose Reservoir, at Sycolin Road and Golf Course Rapid. We’ve run many trips this season (Oct 2019). 2020 - In covid time - just messing about in Golf Course Rapid (200 cfs/ 2 ft is the minimum) - an up-and-back trip. Cruiser_2018_03_March_April
Violettes Lock/ GW Canal Loop
Got the C&O Canal Park to restore water to the Pennyfield-Violettes reach - making this a one-car loop again. In the GW Canal in VA we're constantly engaged, working with Calleva to clear recurring log jams.
Lock 10 - improving takeout
Patapsco
Bloede Dam removal project in Patapsco Valley State Park - finished.
Article on Bloede Dam from the Baltimore Sun
CCA didn’t have a lot to do with advocating for Bloede dam removal on the Patapsco - American Rivers is taking a lot of credit. However, it has made the lower Patapsco free flowing.
Seneca Creek - Work with Seneca Creek State Park to clear this nearby family-friendly stream of logs - a job that needs monitoring as well as muscle. Cruiser_2018_09_Sept_Oct Also, support the State Park at Black Rock Mill on parking restrictions.
Harper's Ferry, WV Area
Weverton RR Crossing
This is the lower take-out in Maryland for boaters running the Needles section of the Potomac and the Staircase section of the Shenandoah past Harpers Ferry. In early Feb, 2018, soon after a meeting of stakeholders, CCA, which was not present, heard that the CSX RR had put up signs warning boaters and hikers that the RR had declared Weverton to be a “private crossing.” And CSX removed the white posts telling its engineers to sound warning blasts in approaching the crossing. This crossing is used by 20,000 people each year, including users of the Appalachian Trail. CCA and other organizations are working hard to counter this, which could drastically cut access to a beloved intermediate paddle.
Weverton Rail Crossing Feasibility Study
CCA's Response to the Weverton Feasibility Study
David Cottingham - Comments on Weverton Feasibility Study
Comment on Weverton Study from Elizabeth Watson
Other parts of the Harpers Ferry access pie include:Sandy Hook MD. Millville, WV, Bakerton WV, Wayside Landing & Parking, VA, Beach access at Harpers Ferry itself, and a portage route around the dam upstream of Millville on the Shenandoah.
See also on this website under Message Board - "Events and Announcements" - the following:
Access Projects - Goose Ck - 5/2018, 11/2017
C&O Sup't Unveils Multi-Year Plan to Re-Water the Canal - 11/2017
CCA – ACCESS PROJECTS – C&O Canal - 3 Nov 2017
C&O Canal - 10 Possible Loops – 5 Loops + 5 Out-and-Backs: - 1/2018
River Access Issues for the C&O NHP - 10/2019
Locks on the Lower C&O Canal - 10/2019
Access – A Restored Lower C&O Canal - CCA Vision - 7-18 Dec 2019
River Access page 2
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