Great Falls celebrated the opening of the Short Bypass whitewater channel on the Catawba River on July 8, 2023, adding an exciting new dimension to the town's growing outdoor recreation offerings. The Short Bypass, accessible from the new Canal Street Access Area with 34 parking spaces, features Class II, III, and IV rapids — making it a thrilling challenge for experienced whitewater paddlers. However, the opening came with a wrinkle: a discovered leak in the continuous flow gate at the diversion dam required Duke Energy to cancel subsequent scheduled flows for repairs.
Duke Energy planned to draw down the Great Falls Reservoir to approximately 10 feet below full pond to disassemble the minimum flow release gate, replace the inflatable bladder, and reassemble the gate. The repair was expected to be completed by July 21, with an outside deadline of August 1. During the drawdown, both the long and short bypass channels would be dried out, with Duke taking precautions to minimize the potential for fish kills by drawing the reservoir down slowly.
Despite the temporary setback, the opening of the Short Bypass represents another major milestone in Great Falls' two-decade journey toward becoming a nature-based tourism destination. The Canal Street Access Area offers kayak launching access to Great Falls Reservoir for flat water paddling, as well as boat access to Mountain Island where a mile-long portage trail connects to the whitewater. The steep trail down to the launch provides spectacular views of the surrounding water and landscape. Officials continue to remind visitors that both bypass channels are intended for experienced paddlers only.