Cahaba sections and recommended minimum levels

 I will add to this as I get more section information.  Got some beta from Gordon B.

Lovick section: Moon River Launch to Grants Mill:  Reasonable minimums are 300cfs for Canoe, 400 for kayak.  

Grants Mill to Old Overton/Cahaba River Walk Park - we did it in mid May 2021 at 95 cfs, in recreational kayaks.  I'd say it was about as low as you could go without dragging boats. 

Gordon mentioned the level for this section would be the same recommended for the section down to 280.

March 30 2024 Cahaba Grants Mill to Overton.  Level 233 cfs/1.38 ft. Sunny cloudless day, upper 70's, very little traffic on the river, plenty of current.  Trip took 4.5 hours going at a very relaxed pace.  With Dave H. and Angie A.

Roper Rd. section: Much tougher to figure. There are some long shallow shoals and one rapid of consequence.  Otherwise lots of flat pools and easy moving water. In a canoe probably 200 cfs would be ok. You could do it lower, but with a fair bit of scraping. In the WW K-1 again I'd want a fair amount more, say 300 cfs. And except for the one rapid it is not a great K-1 run. About 4 weeks ago a large tree went completely across the river at the very bottom of the rapid. No biggie for a competent paddler, there is a good eddy above on the right and you can limbo under the right side by shore (at 200 cfs.) 

GAUGES: 

Use the Trussville, White's Chapel, and Mtn Brook gauges to figure levels out. Rising and falling levels above can make a huge difference. In general for the Roper Rd I just use that gauge. For Moon River down I use the Mtn Brook gauge, with and eye on the one above in case it is rising fast. And the same for the run down to 280.

From Justin C.:  Upper Cahaba from Camp Coleman to Roper Road: Gauge at Mtn. Brook 750/800 cfs, Trussville gauge 30-40 cfs, 2.5 hours to golf course.  (He has private access to Camp Coleman, the Trussville park put-in adds quite a bit more of the run).  

Map for Upper Cahaba: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=16YBeH0orBSKji_d3IkJXn6W7rq7SCX4j&usp=sharing

Justin C. in his canoe on the biggest rapid on the section of the Cahaba from Camp Coleman to Roper Rd., at low water. He says at high levels "leave the rec boat at home".