Known for its big waves, warm water and continuous action. Now, TVA investigators are looking into whether they should have issued a warning about how fast the river was flowing. Jenkins said he's more concerned about figuring out what happened Saturday and Sunday than he is worried about the effect the deaths could have on his customer base. 1993 Kayak Freestyle Worl Champoinships Ocoee … Yesterday, when the first death occurred yesterday, the water level, I was an eyewitness to that death, the water level was over 3,000. From 1980 to 1985 David Brown lead successful battles to secure recreational water releases on both the Ocoee and Gauley Rivers. The Ocoee has become one of the most popular whitewater rivers in the world, attracting over 250,000 visitors annually. Join AW and support river stewardship nationwide. The river is dam controlled at 3 levels creating 3 sections – the upper, … Since 1976, Ocoee Rafting has welcomed many to miles of … The latest happened Sunday morning around 11:40, the first incident was Saturday only 20 minutes earlier. "We're still in the investigation process, and it could take a few weeks," she said. On Sunday the flow was slightly less, at 2,200 to 2,500 cubic feet per second. From beginning to end, the Ocoee river will get you soaked, smiling and laughing. Learn more about the non-profit organization American Whitewater and how to become a member here. American Whitewater made the first, very successful effort to build a coalition of a wide array of stakeholders by hosting the Ocoee Symposium at the Olympic Whitewater Center on Friday, May 18th, during the U.S.A. Canoe and Kayak team trials, and immediately prior to the Ocoee … At the time of the accident Saturday, the water was flowing between 2,300 and 2,600 cubic feet per second, according to TVA. American Whitewater refers to the Ocoee, which hosted the Ocoee Rodeo in 1983, as "the birthplace of freestyle kayaking." She confirmed that TVA never made that call. Every year, about 230,000 adventurers flock to the Ocoee River, which is the most-visited whitewater river in the United States, according to a study by the University of Tennessee released in May. The other was tossed a rescue rope bag and reportedly grabbed the rope but then lost consciousness. Day Time (Eastern) Average Hourly Discharge* 8/25/2013 2 pm 1,912 8/25/2013 3 pm 1,944 8/25/2013 4 pm 2,542 8/25/2013 5 pm 2,237 8/25/2013 6 pm 1,904 8/25/2013 7 pm 1,837 8/25/2013 8 pm 1,756 TEXT ATTACHMENTS, TVA Investigating Water Flow After Ocoee River Deaths. Early reports indicated that the river was running higher than unusual, but the levels were within the range considered safe for commercial rafting, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Ocoee Whitewater Center, near Ducktown, Tennessee, United States, was the canoe slalom venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and is the only in-river course to be used for Olympic slalom competition. "Both of the guys this weekend were very good raft guys," he said. Ocoee Whitewater Games. Meanwhile, authorities have not released the names of the two women that died. "We know what the water is running just by looking at it. great deal of media attention. The rafting industry on the Ocoee employs 622 people and generates $43.83 million in economic activity each year, according to the UT study. The Middle … Welcome to Ocoee Rafting! More than 300,000 visit the Ocoee each year. McGruder grabbed a rescue rope but lost consciousness before she could be pulled to safety. The CFS rose by nearly 1,000 cubic feet per second during the time of Saturday's fatal run. "It is a rapid to be very respected. 1224 Highway 64, Ocoee, TN 37361-3408 +1 423-338-4400 Website Menu. Two women were thrown overboard, but one was pulled back into the raft. She was brought ashore downstream and pronounced dead when emergency crews arrived around 11:30 a.m. The 9.25 mile section of the Cheoah River, from Santeetlah Dam to Calderwood Lake Boat Launch, is … "I can't quote years of experience, but I know one of them has been around since the 1980s. Set in the Cherokee National Forest, the Ocoee River flows through a beautiful mountain gorge, Your Ocoee Whitewater rafting trip will be like no other. I don't want to be the third one.". The lower Ocoee spills out below Parksville lake, rolling quietly … "Our pressing concern right now is looking at what happened and what took place," he said. She was unable to make it to shore and was picked up by two kayakers around 11:45 a.m. Rescuers performed CPR on both women, and both were taken by ambulance to Copper Basin Medical Center, about nine miles away. 1999 Ocoee Rodeo at Smiley's The Upper Ocoee riverbed had remained dry … Commercial rafters have to get off the water at 3,000 cubic feet per second. If you should be able to do this, please contact webmaster@americanwhitewater.org and tell them you need (LinkerGadget/show-edit). And I know what 3,000 CFS looks like," said Jamie Silver, acting river manager at Adventures Unlimited. The Ocoee is well-known for its whitewater, but the lower Ocoee is the perfect venue for lazy afternoon flatwater paddling or tubing trips. The deaths over the weekend are the first on the river since 2011, when two people died on the Upper Ocoee. © 1999-2021 American Whitewater Atlanta woman dies in Ocoee rafting accident 51 year-old Marnita McGruder, from Rex, GA Timesfreepress.com by Alex Green An Atlanta woman died Saturday on the Ocoee River while rafting with a group, and TVA is looking at the river's flow and height at the time. "I know that we had some flows that were above normal for this time of year, and we're looking into that," he said. Ocoee Outdoors has quite the fleet of buses to get you to and from the river. "We've been rafting on that same amount of water all summer. The Canoe slalom events during the 1996 Summer Olympics were conducted on a half-mile Olympic whitewater course that is fed by releases of water from Ocoee #3. While slalom kayakers vied for spots on the national team, it was their hip, freestyling cousins who made the biggest splash at the Ocoee... World Whitewater Rodeo Championships 1993. The Middle Ocoee River is a 5-mile stretch of whitewater that takes you through rapids such as Grumpy’s, Broken Nose, Diamond Splitter, and Table Saw. And while some adventurers, like Hookway, opted to skip "Grumpy's," several companies were again running rafts through that rapid. 3,000 cubic feet per second. Terms of Service. Steve Lofty, chief of West Polk Fire and Rescue, said Saturday there is no way rafters would be on the river if it was running too high or fast. McGruder and Luna bump that up to eight. "But now, I'll just avoid it. "We probably had more high water this year than I can ever remember, and I've been around 30 years," he said. Before that, the last recorded death of a customer on a commercial raft was in 1998, said Kip Gilliam, president of the Ocoee River Outfitters Association. It's called Grumpy's rapid, and it's well-known in the rafting and kayaking world. "Commercial traffic did not stop," she said. "In my opinion, it was incompetence and negligence on TVA's part in the release of the water, and it's been going on all summer long and you're lucky this the first weekend this has happened," said Silver. Brooks says the agency is investigating the conditions and the CFS estimates. You may even decide you want to ride the Bull through Double Trouble. The dam was operating two generators. Ocoee whitewater rafting schedules vary based on the releases and are planned around the best and peak times to raft. Tennessee’s most experienced outfitter, Ocoee Outdoors will guide you through almost continuous class III – IV whitewater … The Middle section is considered to be one of the best natural stretches of whitewater in the country, ranked one of America’s Top Ten Rivers for whitewater rafting.This family friendly, action packed … Whitewater kayaking and rafting. It did spike on them, which was unusual. 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