Alabama Whitewater: Upper Calvert Prong

Run: Calvert Prong

Section: Upper

Class: I-II Put-In: US 231 bridge, parking at church or on road shoulder
(33.984456, -86.508336)

Gradient: 1st: 16' / 2nd: 36' / Total: 52ft in 2.2 miles Take-Out: Hwy 33 bridge (1st Calvert Prong crossing )
(33.976817, -86.527792)

Length: 2.2

Shuttle: US HWY 231 N. to HWY 33; approximate distance: 1.77 miles Delorme Gazeteer:

Water Q: Primary Gage:

Links: Required Level:

PICTURES Indicator Gage:

Required Level:

Notes:

When running the regular Calvert Prong run this may be a nice addition to the day. A good warm up on the Upper Calvert would be a nice warm up to a meaty lower Calvert. The shuttle for the Upper is as easy, if not easier, that the lower Calvert Shuttle. The takeout for the Upper Calvert is only about 3 minutes from the lower put in.

This section was plentiful in small rapids and shoals. It is drop pool in nature. Very scenic with some surprisingly high cliffs and nice rock formations. 3 islands are in this run. There is one log jam at the last island on river right that requires portage at low water. At higher water the left island line would easily open up and not require any portage at all. I believe at higher water a few surf waves would come into play as well as a few wave trains. There was evidence of powerful high water flows across the island vegetation as well. The put in is easy access down a moderately steep hill. The takeout was short and a trail is already in place at the bridge on river left. At low water, this would be a nice recreational kayak fishing run as well. There were some nice looking fishing holes along the way.

Cale Glenn, Richard Dalton and Micah O'Neal ran this section on 3-18-19. The Locust gauge was currently showing 3.5ft. Anytime lower Calvert is in play the upper should be in play as well. If looking for a correlation, I would like to see this run when the Locust is 5+ feet. We did this run in conjunction with Locust Fork running from Swann to 160 and it made a nice noon-late evening paddle.

Only think worthy of a healthy warning is this: At low water, there were a few rocks that angled sharply upstream that were just above the water's surface causing rooster tails. If a hard boat were to not see these rocks at low water and hit them dead on there would probably be a very nice dent in the front of someone's boat. I only saw about 3 rocks like this scattered through the run and they aren't very big. At higher water, a boater would never know they existed.

Run description provided by Cale Glenn.


Run:	Calvert Prong
Section:	Upper

Class:	I-II	Put-In:	US 231 bridge, parking at church or on road shoulder (33.984456, -86.508336)
Gradient:	1st: 16' / 2nd: 36' / Total: 52ft in 2.2 miles	Take-Out:	Hwy 33 bridge (1st Calvert Prong crossing ) (33.976817, -86.527792)
Length:	2.2
Shuttle:	US HWY 231 N. to HWY 33; approximate distance: 1.77 miles	Delorme Gazeteer:
Water Q:		Primary Gage:
Links:		Required Level:
	PICTURES	Indicator Gage:
		Required Level:
Notes:
When running the regular Calvert Prong run this may be a nice addition to the day. A good warm up on the Upper Calvert would be a nice warm up to a meaty lower Calvert. The shuttle for the Upper is as easy, if not easier, that the lower Calvert Shuttle. The takeout for the Upper Calvert is only about 3 minutes from the lower put in. This section was plentiful in small rapids and shoals. It is drop pool in nature. Very scenic with some surprisingly high cliffs and nice rock formations. 3 islands are in this run. There is one log jam at the last island on river right that requires portage at low water. At higher water the left island line would easily open up and not require any portage at all. I believe at higher water a few surf waves would come into play as well as a few wave trains. There was evidence of powerful high water flows across the island vegetation as well. The put in is easy access down a moderately steep hill. The takeout was short and a trail is already in place at the bridge on river left. At low water, this would be a nice recreational kayak fishing run as well. There were some nice looking fishing holes along the way. Cale Glenn, Richard Dalton and Micah O'Neal ran this section on 3-18-19. The Locust gauge was currently showing 3.5ft. Anytime lower Calvert is in play the upper should be in play as well. If looking for a correlation, I would like to see this run when the Locust is 5+ feet. We did this run in conjunction with Locust Fork running from Swann to 160 and it made a nice noon-late evening paddle. Only think worthy of a healthy warning is this: At low water, there were a few rocks that angled sharply upstream that were just above the water's surface causing rooster tails. If a hard boat were to not see these rocks at low water and hit them dead on there would probably be a very nice dent in the front of someone's boat. I only saw about 3 rocks like this scattered through the run and they aren't very big. At higher water, a boater would never know they existed. Run description provided by Cale Glenn.