Wanted to check in and see if anyone has a feel for the river flow in Chattanooga right now?
Feels like generally in full during the fall the times are super fast, but the spring is more hit or miss and times are generally a bit more honest… but looks like it has been raining alot there recently so maybe the water will be flowing faster than usual in two weeks?
It changes by the day. I did it a few years ago when the flow was moderate leading up to the race. Then we had big storms the night before the race so they opened the dam. The swim was smokin’!
There is swimming involved in all this? Man I am cooked.
It might be a little faster literally right now due to some recent rain in the valley that finds itself into the river above Chattanooga.
But there’s no telling what it could be like next weekend. With two days of rain on the forecast for that area, 5 days before the race, I have a feeling the TVA will be on a pretty standard discharge schedule. Which is to say, it’s still a nice river swim, and you will likely be fine even if you literally just float.
Is the water temp > 70. Trying to decide if I should bring my long sleeve
There is a site that shows the flow from the dam. Google for it.
https://www.tva.com/environment/lake-levels/chickamauga
Pretty sure this is the correct one. Double check me.
30k is fastttttttttt
I’d bring it to be safe if it isn’t a hassle. In 2023 it was nippy. But I’m in Mid TN so can’t comment with first hand experience on today. I’d imagine with the rain we just had, and will have in about a week that it will be cooler.
Divide that number by 1,300ish ft across (going with this number because wider and narrower at various parts of the river) x average channel depth of 11 ft, and you get roughly 2.3 FPS. Or, 1.57 MPH. Fast indeed.
TVA expects it to drop around to 20,000 cubic feet / second, or .95 MPH.
I’d bring the sleeved wetsuit, you’ll cruise and be warm.