I’m looking for some paddling advice on a watershed. Not sure if it’s even runnable, it dumps into the Buffalo river in TN. Has anyone ever done Fortyeight creek? There’s no info online and I’m planning a trip there, I just live too far away to check it out in advance.
Is there a USGS gauge on it?
From “location” data for the gauge you can get the watershed area. One would also need to know the sort of geological area, such as Cumberland Plateau. If you know those things, plus something about the gradient, you can work by analogy, comparing it to known streams in the same region, of similar size and gradient, and perhaps of known runnability.
I used to measure watershed areas by hand, from paper maps, but gauge data can make it a whole lot easier, as long as the gauge is somewhere along your proposed run. The smallest watershed I have ever explored successfully was only 10 square miles, but it was not in the Cumberland plateau. Usually you need at least 30 square miles and a good gradient to sweep the trees and wood out of the channel.
American whitewater
does not have this in their database. so it is not a runnable white water stream. there are no launch sites on the go paddling launch site map on this site. not looking good.
perhaps some google earth research will lead to a first decent adventure. I would find a put in, and explore upstream first. If it is not passable, the buffalo is nearby
maybe try boatertalk
If it is in Tennessee and if it has ever had enough water to float a boat, the odds are someone has paddled it.
There are a lot of small streams on the Cumberland Plateau and Highland Rim that are very occasionally runnable that do not appear on American Whitewater.
If you are serious about researching this stream, you might post a query on the forum at Boatertalk dot com. If you are on Facebook, try the GDI page. If anyone has paddled it the odds are fair that they are in that group.
There are quite a few runnable ww
streams that are not in the AWA database, and I say that as an AW member and as one who has explored a few of those undocumented streams.
Newly explored ww streams are not added to the AW database unless someone has the enterprise to document and add them, and a local AW team agrees that the addition is suitable.
yep second that thought
lots of stuff is on the aw site but certainly not everything
48 creek
48 creek is better run after a moderate rain, it is a nice creek that has a natural arch a short walk from the creek. There are a couple of us from the Nashville area that plan on doing it this spring. We have paddled with you before in the Bowling Green area and you are welcome to join us when the time comes.
Fortyeight Creek
Thanks, I’m planning a trip there April 26th and will check it out the night before. If it isn’t runnable I plan to do another section of the Buffalo with our group.
please
give us a report,safe trip…