A. Brave to Pentress WVa 11.0 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
A-I 3/4 Small B/B
Topographic Maps: Wadestown,
Blacksville, WVa
County Maps: Greene, Monongalia WVa
Description: This
is a narrow, but deep-water stream at its headwaters. There is a one-foot dam
at Brave, which can be run at lower levels. About a mile below that is a
seven-foot dam that is best portaged on the left. The remaining miles to the
take‑out is a float with some Class I riffles mixed in. [Reported 1996]
Difficulties: The two dams mentioned above.
Shuttle: The put-in is about two miles upstream (west) of Brave at the intersection of State Route 3009 and Township Road T450. To reach the take‑out, follow 3009 through Brave to WVa 7. Turn left/east on WVa 7 and follow it to the take‑out at the Pentress Road Bridge.
Gauge: None. Check the shallows from the bridges. If one is runnable, the whole section should be okay.
Normal Wet Period: No
available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should
normally be runnable approximately January through April.
B. Pentress WVa to Mount Morris 13.3 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
A-I 3/5 Small B/B
Topographic Maps: Blacksville,
Osage
County Maps: Marshall (WVa), Greene
Description: The creek doubles back on itself eleven times in this thirteen mile stretch. It is mostly farmland in a widening valley. Only three miles of this section have been run, but from the bridges and the topographic maps it looks like what you would expect from a low gradient stream. [Reported 1996]
Difficulties: None in the lower three miles, which have been run.
Shuttle: Put in at the bridge in Pentress along WVa 7. To reach the take‑out, go east on WVa 7. Go about 3.3 miles on WVa 7 and turn left/west on CR 27. At the state border CR 27 turns into State Route 2003. Continue to Mount Morris. In town turn left/north on US Route 19, cross the creek and turn right/east. The take‑out is right there along side the road.
Gauge: None. Check the creek at the various bridges.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April
C. Mount Morris to Monongahela River 14.5 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
I 6/7 Medium(229/276) C/B
Shannopin Shannopin
Topographic Maps: Osage, Garards Fort, Morgantown North,
Masontown
County Maps: Greene
Description: Many active underground coal mines and facilities border the creek. A coal company owns the railroad. Six company bridges cross the creek and are in various states of disrepair. Below Bobtown a collapsed railroad bridge in the creek has one end on the pier and the other in the creek. It is eerie and foreboding to paddle under. [Reported 1996]
Difficulties: Beware of rotted timbers hanging under abandoned bridges. One sloped ledge drops two feet in ten. It is runnable on the left, but look at it first.
Shuttle: The put‑in is just downstream of the US Route 19 bridge in Mount Morris. To reach the take‑out, head downstream on State Route 2006. At Davistown, turn right/southeast on State Route 2019. At Bobtown turn right/east onto State Route 2011. A short distance later, in Newtown, turn left/east onto State Route 2010. Follow State Route 2010 to the State Route 88 Bridge, which is the take‑out
Gauge: Shannopin. We do not have enough information to report runnable levels on this section. A reading of 2.8 feet on the Shannopin gauge corresponds to the mean flow of 276 cfs. Since this is a medium-sized river, we speculate that the river will be runnable at 2.8 feet and may be on the high side of runnable at that level.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is medium-sized, it should normally be runnable approximately December through May.