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Distance: At 1.6 miles this section
takes less than 1 hour to float.
River Features: Shortly after the put-in
the creek passes under the Ohio Street bridge, and about
1/2 mile later the creek passes under a railroad bridge.
The railroad bridge has a warning sign about the dam hanging
from it, and the Crystal Street dam (see hazards below)
is just after this bridge. Shortly after the dam the creek
passes under another railroad bridge. About 1/2 mile later
the creek passes under the CR 22/Apperson Way bridge.
Less than 1/2 mile after that the creek passes under the
Washington Street bridge. A little ways after the bridge
start looking on the right bank for the take-out at Foster
Park. It will be just after a red foot bridge across the
creek.
Hazards: Crystal Street dam MUST be
portaged, and there are several options for portaging.
However, be careful using any of the methods described.
1) At low flow the dam may be portaged on river left,
but be very careful as the rocks will be slippery. 2)
At any time the dam may be portaged on river right. However,
this (dry) portage is a steep, overgrown trail over large
rocks and concrete debris, and it is not at all easy.
3) At low to moderate flow experienced paddlers can get
out of their boats by the concrete wall on river right,
and lead them by the wall and over the dam at the extreme
right. To portage the dam this way means wading through
thigh-deep water and hopping over the dam into a small
pocket of shallow water. You will be standing in rushing
water using this portage method, so be extremely careful,
and watch for exposed rebar in the dam structure. (We
used the third portage method at a flow of about 200 cfs,
and I wouldn't want to try it with much more flow. At
this flow the water was too high to portage river left
using the first method.)
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