Lower Falls
San Joaquin - 4. Patterson Bend (Kerckhoff Reservoir to Kerchoff #1 PH) (CA)
Gauge Conditions
Runnable: ? – ? CFS
Approximate - nearest available gauge. Use as general reference only.
Data from American Whitewater & USGS
CDEC Flow Data California
Data from California Data Exchange Center (CDEC)
Photo
Photo courtesy of American Whitewater
Description
At high flows there is a clean route down the left side the whole way. At lower flows the left side entrance is impassable, so boaters must run a center drop, then paddle hard to get over to the lower left channel.
Scouting is not easy here and portaging is very difficult. At high flows it is safest to scout the Upper and Lower Falls by hiking directly down hill from the BLM area trailhead and campground. It is a steep hike down to get a view of the river, but not a very long distance.
Location
Other Rapids on This Run (20)
Rapid
Smalley Cove
Portage
N/A
Kerchoff dam
Rapid
III+
Launch point
Rapid
II
Island
Rapid
III
Rapid
Rapid
Mike Walker Canyon
Rapid
N/A
No Name
Rapid
III
Grapevine Canyon & Rapid
Rapid
Southwest
Rapid
IV
Rapid
Rapid
No Name
Rapid
V
First Five
Rapid
V
El Limpo
Rapid
IV
#3
Hazard
V
Binocular rapid
Rapid
IV
Below Binoc
Rapid
N/A
Take Out
Rapid
N/A
Kerchoff #1 powerhouse
Rapid
V
Upper Falls
Rapid
N/A
Kerchoff #2 Powerhouse
View Full Run
4. Patterson Bend (Kerckhoff Reservoir to Kerchoff #1 PH)
San Joaquin
III-V
11.6 mi
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
Whitewater data from
American Whitewater
American Whitewater