ILLINOIS BAYOU, HECTOR TO SCOTTSVILLE, WEDNESDAY 11/11/09

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

Anybody like to paddle this 7.6 mile Class II run on a cool, sunny day? Post here! The water level is just above the lowest level for paddling according to The Book.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

I'm meeting Steve Heye at K-Mart on Rodney Parham in Little Rock at 8:30 a.m. Depending on how many folks show up, we will be at either the take-out or the put-in about 10:00. Hope to launch between 10:30 and 11:00 at the Hector bridge on highway 27. Post if you plan to join in.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[Sunray and Eve]

Wish we could join you, that's a great stretch of the river... Gotta work tomorrow

Have fun, and please post what you see. I haven't been on that section since the last crest/flood.

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

It was a perfect day for a leisurely outing. Our water level of 5.7 might be the minimum you would ever want to try this run, but it still offered a lot of surfing on some sweet, gentle waves. There were no strainers, a lot of nice bluffs, plenty of pools, but there was still good current along a good bit of the way. It wouldn't take more than another 6 inches (say a 6.2 gage reading) for this section to be quite entertaining. It was plenty fun for those of us with low expectations, with lots of choices of which channel to take and interesting scenery. Bank erosion was very pronounced in some areas. About 3 miles into the run, someone has attempted to reroute the river by bulldozing all the trees down on a wide gravel bar, hoping that the river will go straight over the bar instead of against a vertical bank on river right. That bank is moving farther right, cutting into a pasture. It has alternating layers of gravel and soil exposed that shows it has moved many times before. I can't blame a land owner from trying to save his property, but I don't like the thought of leaving all those downed trees on the gravel bar. They were in piles, one of which was smoking, so maybe they will get burned before they are washed downstream. It's a shame that it was done, though. Ugly, and it probably won't achieve the desired goal.

All of the heavily eroded areas were devoid of trees on top of the bank, a factor that only makes the erosion proceed faster. One such spot has an interesting layer of what looks like black tar that has cemented the gravel into a very tough layer. It was about 8 feet below the top of the bank, so it may have been caused by a natural occurrence.

The solid slab that formed the bottom in several places was interesting, too.

All in all, an enjoyable stretch of river at 5.7, suitable for paddlers with minimal experience. Also suitable for rec boats at 5.7. I'll be coming back, especially if the gage is a little higher.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[Sunray and Eve]

I'm glad you had a good time, thanks for the report.

I know what you mean about 5.7 being low. Four of us took a couple of tandem canoes on the stretch a few weeks ago to test the level at 5.6 feet. This was bare minimum for us, and I made a mental note at the time to keep our future runs at 6 feet or higher. My favorite range is 6.5-7.5ft, at which the pools are moving and there are lots of waves to play in.

I love the drop about a 1/2 mile before the Scottsville bridge. If you happen to approach this for the first time in the late afternoon, the roar of the upcoming water can put fear in you, because the sun is in your eyes the whole time and you can't see anything until it's too late! ... I always pack sunglasses and a hat now :)

[prophet]

it might be worthwhile reporting the bulldozing to the ADEQ. unfortunately i've had no response on other reported instances, such as dozer work in the Mulberry streambed at the house construction at Zeke's Headache/Closet Eddy.

[Clif]

Certain the trees were dozed down?? I have a spot that catches trees also. More than once huge strainers have formed there. One stops there then next flood you have several.

[Shark Attack]

Clif, I was thinking the same thing. But what sets them on fire?



The match tossing elk riding flying monkies!

I do want to paddle & fish this stretch this spring.

Wes