Whitewater rapids are back at Great Falls. How does it compare to Charlotte’s?
A new water attraction on the Catawba River in Chester County opens this weekend which is expected to offer outdoor activities and boost the local economy.
For years, Duke Energy has been working on the Great Falls enhancement project to provide recreational and environmental enhancements at Great Falls Reservoir in South Carolina, WSOC-TV reported.
“This project, we are opening, will allow people to go into the long bypass reach of the river, which over the past century, has been dry,” said Tim Huffman, senior project manager at Duke Energy.
With the Great Falls Reservoir opening, there’s now two major water outdoor attractions in the area that residents can access along with the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte.
Here’s what both attractions offer visitors:
Great Falls Reservoir
528 Catawba River Road, Great Falls, SC 29055
Some of the waterways will be open to the public on Saturday, with scheduled recreation flow releases and the opening of the Nitrolee Access Area.
There are two release points for flow, one for improving aquatic habitat downstream and recreational flow, and another for recreational flow with a safe access route for boaters.
There will also be a separate rapid flow of water for advanced paddlers expected to open later this year.
“This is a natural river flow, and you have two miles of whitewater that you access through the structures that we have built,” Tim Huffman, senior project manager at Duke Energy, told WSOC-TV.
Visitors will be able to kayak, canoe, raft, paddle and boat along the river for free. You will need to bring your own equipment. Recreational releases are scheduled from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. You can find scheduled recreation flow releases online at duke-energy.com/lakes.
A state park, a small island, and walking trails will also be added in the coming years.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28214
The Whitewater Center is an outdoor center with more than 30 recreational activities, including whitewater and flatwater rafting, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding.
The flatwater activities take place on the Catawba River and Long Creek. The whitewater activities take place on the center’s man-made river, which comprises four sections of whitewater: the instruction, freestyle, wilderness, and competition channels. Each feature has different wave levels.
Visitors will need to bring their own equipment, but the Whitewater Center does provide rental kayaks.
The Whitewater Center also has yoga, climbing, ropes, zip lines, and trails for mountain biking, running or hiking. There is also space for deep water solo and ice skating.
Visiting the U.S. Whitewater Center is free, but a pass is required for activities. You can purchase single activity passes, all-access day passes or all-access annual passes either online, onsite, or by phone at (704) 391-3900. Available activities for each day can be found on the center’s website at center.whitewater.org.
