Lower Putah Creek
* Click on the square boxes for a blow up of each rapid (this is a work in progress). Although each box represents the major rapids, several other smaller rapids exist. The names are my own and certainly do NOT represent First Descent info!
DANGER WARNING!: #1 Lower Putah is not a "safe" run. It is a creek and presents "creekin" hazards like lots of strainers, shallow rocks, narrow channels, etc... You use this information at your own risk!!! Particular large dangers are the strainer in the left channel at the 90 degree bend I call Strainer Danger. This can be avoided by taking the middle channel, and the running the far right shallow chicken chute which empties just right (downstream) of the strainer. Another extremely dangerous spot is after Column Drop (annotated on map as SEE TEXT). There is an obvious split with two channels available. The left channel is completely impassable with a sharp swift section leading straight towards a full creek-wide strainer with nowhere to eddy out about 200 yards downstream. Instead at the split, go into the right channel but stay right. If the water level is below 550 CFS you will probably ground out and have to portage a very short distance down the shallow section. Do not run the deeper left side as it leads straight into a circular pool with all exit blocked by another large strainer which really can't be avoided! I don't mean to preach but I would hate to see someone get hurt here! Please be smart if you are uncomfortable with making decisions on a run that has limited scouting avaliablity and very real strainer dangers!
Lower Putah Creek is a semi-“obscure” run in Solano County outside of Winters, CA. It’s slightly better known brother “Upper Putah Creek” runs from Middleton to the inlet of Lake Berryessa and checks in at Class IV/V depending on water level and dense vegetation (willows) that can make route finding tricky at best. Upper Putah is featured on California Creeks.
Lower Putah has somehow escaped this notice though. With regulated dam release from Monticello Dam, Lower Putah has a consistent flow through most of the summer running at 400-600 cfs depending on the water level in Lake Berryessa. The put in a viscous (joking here folks) 50 feet walk from an open parking lot. The take out is right next to a road with a pay phone and gas station 100 yards away. The nature of the run is short rapids usually ending in steeper sections that pour into longer stretches of flowing flat water. The main rapid extends from the bridge to the large river right 90 degree turn at the base of the main canyon. This equals to 3.6 miles of fairly sustained fun. Some of the rapids extend up to the Class III- range depending on water level with lower level actually making this worse not better in some cases. If you run the entire length till Lake Solano, you will have about 1 mile of flatwater paddling (with the current though) to the Pleasant's Valley Take-out bridge or Lake Solano Regional park (whichever you chose).
Now Lower Putah is not all good and no bad, for sure it has its share of problems. The first and foremost is constant strainer hazards. For more information, see the description of the run, top to bottom.
Flows: Lower Putah has a gauge at the base of the dam giving you a perfect check of flow in near real time. CDEC Real Time Station Data (PUT) will give you the latest readings. Ideally, Lower Putah is run @ 500+ CFS. I have ran it as low as 400 CFS and it is still fine with a little more boney sections, particularly Skin Deep.
Directions: The easiest way to get to Lower Putah is I-80 East or West towards Vacaville. Take the (505) North towards Winters and exit on the (128) heading West towards Winters/Lake Berryessa. You will drive through Winters with a four way stop light, then proceed passed the High School and out onto rural (128) westward bound. Shortly after leaving town (about 2 miles), you will see Pleasant’s Valley Road on the left. Parking can be found at the Gas Station ($3.00) or at Lake Solano Park ($5). You can take out at the Pleasant's Valley Rd. bridge and walk to the Gas Station or take out at the park ramp if you parked there. There is additional free take out spots upstream along (128), though break-ins do occur here and are popular with fisherman. Continuing West on (128) you will begin to see Lake Solano on the left eventually turning into Putah Creek, which pretty much parallels the highway. Continue up canyon for about 4 miles till you cross Putah Creek on a bridge, an immediate left presents the put-in parking lot. Additional parking can be found on the right slightly up the road further. The put in is directly under the bridge. Watch out for the fly fisherman on the 1st few yards!
