Possible Whitewater Kayaking Park on the Schuylkill River in West Conshohocken, PA

West Conshohocken, Montgomery County, PA
Difficulty: Class II to IV You must scout out the area for hazzards since it is a breached dam. This is a popular spot for fishermen. The features are usally good when water levels are low.

Whitewater feature may be destroyed by the removal of Plymouth Dam

THE DAM HAS BEEN REMOVED

 

Ace Dam Removal PLymouth PDF

Ace Dam Removal Vincent PDF

Could the removal of the Plymouth Dam create a whitewater park in Conshohocken, PA? Currently, just below the Plymouth Dam (above the Fayette Street Bridge) there are some interesting whitewater features that will be effectived by the the removal of the Plymouth Dam.

 

Conchockon Whitewater Kayaking

The Plymouth Dam is a left over from the Schuylkill Canal that was used to carry coal to Philadelphia and it surounding comunities. It was designated by its original owners, the Schuylkill Navigation Company as Dam 30 with Locks 66 and 67 entering and exiting the canal.

Conchy Wave

The Plymouth Dam is in poor repair and has several breachs in it. It may be removed as soon as 2008. One should not boat or walk over or above the dam. Several years ago a kayaker got caught in the dam's cribbage and died.

There is a table top of bed rock just below the dam that creates seveal whitewater features across the lenght of the river. In the above picture, the breaches in the dam are visible as the white at the top of the picture. The whitewater sections are (the lighter white features) just below the dam.

Conchy wave

The dam sits on a giant slab of bed rock. It is that bed rock that creates the whitewater features. The dam is being removed to allow the Shad (fish) to migrate up the river and spawn.

Conchy wave

The big question is: When they remove the dam, will the whitewater section still be good for kayaking?

Plymouth Dam, Plymouth Township PA,
The dam is slated for removal as soon as 2008.
Dam Height: 8 feet, Length: 330 feet, Surface Area: 173
A 1.5 mile pool is created by this dam.
Owner: Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection)

Only Known Infomation on the Plymouth Dam Removal

PA. Fish and Boat Commission page on Shad migration project.

Pictured the Schuylkill River, Plymouth Dam, Fayette Street bridge between West Conshohocken and Conshohocken, PA

 

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External Links

Only Known Info on the Plymouth Dam Removal

PA. Fish and Boat Commission page on Shad migration project.

American Whitewater Info

Whitewater advocacy group web page showing safe and dangerous water levels for running rivers in PA.

USGS PA River Levels

Information regarding stream and river levels in Pennsyvania.

Wikipedia Enty on the Schuylkill River

About the Schuylkill River.

Schuylkill Canal Association

The Schuylkill Canal Association is a non-profit that manages the Schuylkill Canal and the 60 acres of ground suround Port Providence and Mont Clare, PA. The SCA encourages extensive public use and enjoyment of the site. Its members and volunteers provide routine maintenance, specialized skills and major planning.  SCA is a community enterprise.