About
North Branch Potomac River, West Virginia — 1746 Fairfax Stone, Tucker County, Allegany. Below Jennings Randolph Lake, the North Branch Potomac runs 105 miles through Garrett and Mineral counties as a Mid-Atlantic tailwater fishery. The Barnum to Bloomington stretch offers five miles of Class II–III whitewater when the Army Corps releases water from the dam, with flows ranging from 500 to 2,000 CFS (average 780). Downstream, the Bloomington to Westernport section drops to Class I–II water and becomes the primary trout reach, while the lower river from Westernport to Keyser flattens to Class I. The Shawnee used these hunting grounds along the Allegheny Front before European settlement. In 1994, a major acid mine drainage reversal project restored water quality that had been degraded by coal mining operations. Spring Creek Outfitter provides guide services on the system. USGS gauge 01595800 tracks the flows that determine whether the Barnum section runs or not.
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and access points may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level.