A. New Castle to Wampum 6.5 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A-B 3/3 Large
(2,235/2,494) B-C/C 3.3-??
Wampum Wampum
Topographic Maps: New Castle South, Bessemer
County Maps: Lawrence
Description: This stream offers little attraction to the canoeist. The valley is wooded, but broad and muddy, with railroads on both sides. There are several large industrial installations. The river has a somewhat foul odor, especially in low water. [Checked 1983]
Difficulties: The only hazard is a wing dam at West Pittsburg, which is a wall extending from the right shore to deflect water toward the intake of a power plant on the left shore. Keep close to the wall to avoid currents at the water intake on the left.
Shuttle: Put in at the old State Route 18 bridge over the Mahoning, south of New Castle. To reach the take-out, go south on State Route 18. Take a sharp left turn onto State Route 482. The take-out is on the left, just below the bridge in Wampum. For a longer trip you can put in in New Castle on the Neshannock, but the 2 or 3 miles you gain are Class D scenery.
Gauges: Wampum. This gauge should read above 3.3 feet (2002 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 980 cfs. The Beaver Falls gauge further downstream will probably read above 4.0. We do not have enough information to report a high runnable level. However, a reading of 4.5 on the Wampum gauge corresponds to the mean flow of 2,494 cfs. Since this is a large size river, we speculate that the river is too high at that level.
Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from early December to mid June. The Wampum gauge is above 3.3 feet 68% of the time.
B. Wampum to Ohio River 16.5 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A-B Pool Large
(3,106/3,758) D/C 4.8-?
Beaver
Falls Beaver
Falls
Topographic Maps: New Castle South, Beaver Falls, Beaver
County Maps: Lawrence, Beaver
Description: Beyond the bridge at Wampum, the river flows through a deep valley with wooded mud banks to Beaver Falls. There are a few riffles just below Wampum. Below the mouth of the Connoquenessing is the backwater of the dam at Beaver Falls, in which one encounters many motorboats. [Checked 1987]
Difficulties: Three dangerous dams in Beaver Falls. Portage the first on the left by walking around the water company fence to put in below the dam. At the second dam portage on the left. The third is a portage on the right. Be careful on the steep banks.
Shuttle: The put-in is where State Route 288 crosses the river. To reach the take-out, go west from the put-in about 0.5 miles to State Route 18. Turn left/south on State Route 18. Take out on the right bank 0.3 miles before the junction with the Ohio River. There is an intermediate take-out at the Rock Point Club. See the write-up on the Connoquenessing Creek, Section I. Page 133.
Gauges: Beaver Falls. This gauge should read 4.8 feet (2002 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 1,430 cfs. We do not have enough information to report a high runnable level. However, a reading of 5.7 on the Beaver Falls gauge corresponds to the mean flow of 3,758 cfs. Since this is a large size river, we speculate that the river is too high at that level.
Normal Wet Period: The Beaver Falls gauge is above 4.8 feet 71% of the time.