Paddle Journal

Nov 18, 2003

Put-in: Below Werner Dam in Jamestown near Washington Street

Take-out: South Phette Place in Falconer

Time: 1.5 hr

I was just opening the store for business when a customer came in and started telling me about the Chadakoin River. I had never paddled through Jamestown before, and the thought of passing under bridges and buildings was not very appealing. However as he spoke of the history and his experience on the river, he convinced me to give it a try. There are not many warm days in November, but it was 52 degrees on this cloudy day, so both of us played hooky from our work. I left a "Gone Paddling" note on the door, and off we went for an Urban Adventure.

David is an avid canoeist, but this was his first time in a kayak. He welcomed my offer of neoprene wetsuit, gloves, and booties. We had a little paddle introduction, then got underway. The water was swift, moving about 4 mph. Swift water is not an ideal environment for teaching Kayak 101, but David did just great!

The Chadakoin is not a maintained waterway. Unfortunately, there were many overhanging branches, log jams, and pieces of trash along the way to Falconer. A clean-up of the waterway could easily be done, because 2nd Street follows the river. All we need is a little community support.

As we passed by old and new factories, David gave me a history lesson on the important part the Chadakoin played in the development of the City. We were constantly passing under bridges, over weirs, around wing dams, and even under a building. We had to portage the kayaks three times. Portaging is no fun, and today was no exception. A couple of the carries were due to log jams. The most significant and necessary one was around a five-foot-high dam near Buffalo Street. Don't try to run this dam. You'll be hurting if you do. There are some great surfing spots once you re-enter the water after the dam. Paddle under the bridge and the building, and you'll find some great standing waves.

The water gauge for the Chadakoin is at Dow Street. The Web site is here. It was not operating on this date, but we hope it will be up in the future. This gauge is important, because some of the bridges are very low. At high water levels they could be deadly.

This urban adventure took longer than we had anticipated because of the portages. With a little cleanup it could be a lot of fun, especially if you have David as a guide!

Chadakoin River: Jamestown to Falconer

Submitted by David Smith and Gary Lawson: October, 2004.

Put-in: Behind the old Ames building, off Harrison Street in Jamestown. We then moved the drop-off vehicle to the Big Lots parking lot across the street, where it would be safer.

Take-out: The county-maintained launch point in Levant, just beyond the Falconer expressway exit.

Time: 2 hours

Boat: Two man, 17" open canoe.

With the USGS gauge at Dow Street reading 1.9 feet, the water level was just about right. Kneeling in a canoe, this level required only slight apprehension at the numerous bridges, and no serious ducking. I would not recommend traveling this section of the Chadakoin if the gauge were to read more than a few inches in either direction. I believe that this level is similar to the water level when we traveled this route last year, when the gauge was broken.

Compared to last year, the route is much improved. The work crews of the City of Jamestown -- and forces of nature -- have removed all of the obstructions/fallen trees that required portages when we last traveled this route, but one new deadfall requiring a short portage was found just opposite the Family Dollar store on Second Street in Jamestown, near the Falconer line. (The tree comes up quickly, but it's an easy carry to the right.) Another deadfall that required stepping out of the boat was met near the end of the journey near Levant, well downstream of where we took out last year at the Falconer South Work Street bridge. If the paddlers were to take out either at the Work Street bridge or at the very pleasant Falconer Millrace Park, a few hundred yards downstream, they could avoid this last portage. The Millrace Park is a pleasant wooded area to paddle past and take out, with a foot bridge spanning the river.

These two portages do not include the VERY IMPORTANT PORTAGE just before Buffalo Street, to avoid going over the dangerous old Dahlstrom's dam. Portage to the left. A person going over this dam could be seriously hurt. Fortunately, the dam is well marked by the railroad trestle hanging over the dam itself, and the water naturally deepens and slows at the takeout.

It was altogether an enjoyable day. Although this is not a waterway that many people may at first consider when planning a paddle journey, I believe this trip has many merits. For one thing, it is a trip that can only be made by a paddler. You will see no powerboats on the lower Chadakoin, although you will see them on the upper Chadakoin, or Outlet. Although the scenery can hardly be described as bucolic, this waterway feels in places surprisingly remote, and we saw a blue heron, a large owl, numerous ducks, and only one shopping cart on our trip through the city.

The main advantage of this trip would of course be its convenience. You don't even need to leave the city limits in order to get on the water, and that makes it especially handy for time-challenged local individuals. Another reason to consider this trip is its historical significance. Before the coming of the railroad, this waterway was Jamestown's primary trade link with Pittsburgh and points south, and it travels past many historic sites. Apparently, keel boats and flat boats at one time set out for Pittsburgh from the keel boat landing in downtown Jamestown, where Main Street now crosses the river. A partial, or wing dam at the corner of Windsor and Harrison Street marks the site of one of Jamestown's first factories, established in the early 1800s, to manufacture wooden buckets and barrels for local use and for the boats that would travel south.

Another factor making this an enjoyable trip is the brisk flow of the water. It is definitely not flatwater. Chautauqua Lake and the Chadakoin River above the Warner Dam behind Evans Skateland, just upstream of where the river goes under the Washington Street bridge, are both roughly at 1308 feet above sea level, while the USGS gauge at Dow Street in Falconer, near the Jamestown-Falconer line, reads 1256 feet above sea level, which would be a fall of 52 feet. Although the drop at the Warner dam and Dahlstrom's dam would be responsible for some of this difference, this is still a significant fall for a distance entirely within the City limits, a space of only a few miles. This drop in elevation makes for a good flow of water, and an interesting run for an adventurous paddler.

Because of the brisk flow, numerous riffles, sharp bends, a narrow channel, and occasional obstacles (on this most recent trip, the expression "threading the needle" came up once or twice) it can be an enjoyable trip for one who enjoys these paddling challenges. Incidentally, it is sometimes a challenge to choose whether to go left or right. Two or more small islands were encountered, and the easier path was found to be always to the right. Particularly fun, fast areas were the narrow chute at the old wing dam at the corner of Windsor and Harrison Street, the area going under the old Dahlstrom's building at Buffalo Street, and the spot immediately past the Dow Sreet bridge, where your boat jumps over the small weir/spillway there.

There is of course no big water on this trip, but it is quick, somewhat technical water until the last mile or so. I would not recommend this trip for a beginning paddler, but as long as no new treefalls/logjams arise, I think that alert paddlers of moderate skill would enjoy this urban adventure.

Chadakoin River: Falconer to Levant

Submitted by Chet Bates: July, 2002.

Quick Stats:

Activity Type: Flatwater Paddling & Canoeing
Nearby City: Falconer, NY
Length: 2 miles by water
Skill Level: Class I+
Season: From early spring through late fall

Although this section of the waterway trail is only two miles' water distance from put-in to take-out, it provides diverse water conditions.

The upstream launching site is located at Falconer Millrace Park adjacent to Route 55 in Falconer. The parking area is tucked behind the Fancher Chair factory. Here you will find ample parking for 15 cars, a picnic area, and a floating dock. This dock may or may not be floating. The Chadakoin is very rain sensitive and controlled by a dam upstream. Be sure to check the USGS real time water flow at:
http://ny.usgs.gov/rt-cgi/gen_stn_pg?station=03014500

The upper half is mostly flat water, however you will find a fast, “S” shaped chute with a hairy 90-degree turn at the end. This single turn can be difficult if the water is fast.

The lower half of this waterway is flat and wide. Remember that both high and low water levels will change the degree of difficulty for any stream. In dry seasons this entire watercourse may become un-navigable.

Your take-out site is located at the Cassadaga Confluence, located 100 yards upstream of the Rt. 65 bridge in the hamlet of Levant. There is a stairway-type launch dug into the south bank. This site has a picnic area, an authentic 1883 iron railroad bridge, picnic area, and parking for approximately twenty cars.