River Renaissance
Above: S.C. Sen. Mike Fanning counts down for the initial launch of kayakers at the Nitrolee Access Area on Wednesday, March 15, during the grand opening of the long bypass reach on the Catawba River. During scheduled water releases, whitewater enthusiasts can enjoy 2 miles of Class II and III rapids from the Great Falls Reservoir to the Cedar Creek Reservoir. The first release open to the public is 10 a.m-3 p.m. Saturday, March 18. Left: A kayaker flips over before ever reaching the whitewater Wednesday. Below: State and local officials and Duke Energy representatives gather to cut the ribbon on the Great Falls Recreation Flow Release Project on Wednesday at the Catawba Falls Event Center in Lancaster County. Duke Energy’s project will return water to two channels of the Catawba River, one of which opens this weekend.
