A news source out of Tennessee reports that whitewater rafting in the drought stricken region has not hurt the whitewater rafting industry this season. Many around the nations have heard about the drought in the South-East corner of the U.S. this summer, and normally this means bad news for the rafting outfitters.
However, many don't realize that a lot of the rivers in the regions are now dam controlled, with mandatory release dates and steady water levels. Like many other states and counties across the region, rafting and recreational outfitters have worked together with park services and governments to have a constant flow of water the whole season with release dates and minimum cfs flows.
The numbers from the Tennessee report give stats on the Ocoee River, which is one of the dam controlled rivers in the area. You would not expect there to be much variance there. The Chattooga River, however, has suffered a bit from the drought, and water levels are extremely low. So low that some outfitters are trying to steer customers towards other rivers just to maintain a fun experience.
The notable dam controlled rivers with whitewater rafting in the region that will maintain good water levels include: Ocoee River, Nantahala River, and Cheoh river, all of which are great river for short day trips.
