Water flow from Quemahoning Dam creates a surge for kayakers and canoeists
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A paddler finds plenty of whitewater to surf at the Showers rapid as a result of the first official whitewater release on the Stonycreek River May 13.
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TIRE HILL - A trip down the aptly named Stonycreek River in Somerset County can be a rocky experience, especially when there isn't enough water in the 46-mile-long waterway.
But a new valve in the Quemahoning Dam can release enough water to provide plenty of whitewater excitement for canoeists, kayakers, rafters and "striders," who stand up on wide surfboards and use a long paddle to power themselves downstream.
Chad Gontkovic of Coal Tubin, an inner tube and raft rental company based along the river in Johnstown, celebrated the valve's first water release May 13 by leading a group of rafts and striders 9.5 miles down the Stony from Hollsopple to Greenhouse Park.
The park, which features a 100-yard-long whitewater park, served as the site of the annual Stonycreek Rendezvous May 13-15 and the dedication ceremonies for the new valve.
The rendezvous -- a festival promoting canoeing, kayaking and rafting on the Stony -- drew more than 500 whitewater enthusiasts from Pennsylvania, its neighboring states and from as far away as Mexico.
Steve Podratsky, president of the Benscreek Canoe and Kayak Club, which hosted the festival, said the long-awaited water release from the 48-inch valve added a new level of enjoyment for the event.
"Ten-plus years of grant requesting, lobbying, state agency meetings and local negotiations have given us a new jewel for Johnstown," he said. "The valve will generate increased recreation and tourism in Somerset and Cambria counties." The Stony serves as a border between the two counties.
After tugging into wetsuits in Coal Tubin's cramped one-story tan brick building in Johnstown that once served as the Cambria County Probation Office, our group of paddlers were bused to a put-in site in Hollsopple.
We put on lift jackets, grabbed a paddle and stepped carefully into red Saturn rafts. Gontkovic demonstrated the proper paddling strokes; we practiced them and quickly moved downstream.
A trip down the Stony a decade ago was the equivalent of being in an outdoor pinball machine. Our rafts seemed to hit -- and frequently got stuck on -- an endless number of rocks. This time, thanks to the new valve, there was more water and the trip was much more enjoyable.
First Published May 22, 2011 12:00 am
