Moira River, Ontario

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The Moira River is a spring paddling river near Belleville, Ontario. The Moira can only be paddled for a short time during spring run off. The river is wide and shallow, it requires quite alot of water to produce sizeable rapids. The riverbed is a combination of large rocks and limestone shelves.

Flows:

Low: 7 (Online Gauge: Foxboro Station) (Can anyone indicate where to find this gauge online? Click the “edit” links at the top of the page and add info.)
High: 8
Max: At levels above 8, some of the smaller rapids will become washed out

Length:

5 km; Approximately 2 hours of paddling, including some scouting

Level:

Beginner to Intermediate; Class I to III

Description:

The Moira River has 2 commonly run sections that are separated by a large stretch of flat water. Both can easily be run in a day. Most people run the Lost Channel, then take out and move downstream to run the Chisholm's Mill Section.

Chisholm's Mill to Plainfield Section:

This section of the Moira runs fairly steady, with only a few short, flatwater sections to paddle through.

Put-In for Chisholm's Mill Run

Put-in anywhere along the shore. You can put-in below the meat, and use the eddy line to paddle up and peel out into the wave train. It is not advisable to run the dam here at any point.

River Wave Train

Follow the current down and just around the left corner, is the 1st rapid, a river wide wave train. Avoid the big hits, or take it in the face, the river is wide here, and you can pick your way down.

Channel Ledge:

The river splits here. On river left is a channel known as the Scuttle Hole, and river right is a channel wide ledge with some holes and large waves. Scout on river right.

Scuttle Hole Channel:

No real scouting is necessary here. There is not a whitewater paddler's "hole" on this channel. It is just a very fast channel of water, with a sharp right hand turn at the bottom and a small bit of white water.

Take-Out:

The river slows here, and this will be the area for take-out. It is advisable not to miss this take-out, as there is a sizeable dam downstream.

There are a lot of other nice, long Class II-III rapids, which make-up the rest of the run, including a very nice rapid which breaks left, runs long and fast for 150M, then breaks to the right, only to continue for a short distance before slowing.

Directions:

To Put-In, From Marmora:
Travel east on Hwy #7 to Hwy #37 Tweed. Follow Hwy #7 south through Tweed until you reach Roslin. Turn left onto Shannonville Road, follow until you pass Chisholm's Lumber, go over the bridge and park in the lot on the right hand side.

To Take Out:
Go back out to Hwy #37 and continue south on Hwy #37 to Plainfield/Latta. Turn left onto Latta Road, follow to the Plainfield Store. Turn left right at the store on the small laneway. Park along the road, above the dam.

Electric Chair:

Electric Chair is a relatively new, beautiful play wave, almost like a mini Garburator. It has easy eddy access and safe downstream conditions.

Directions:

If you are coming on the 401, exit at highway 37, Belleville. Coming from the west turn right from the off-ramp and go over the overpass. At the first set of lights turn left onto Cannifton road. For those coming from the east go straight through the lights when you exit the 401 east bound ramp.
You are now on Cannifton road. Follow Cannifton road until you see the Stop sign. On your left before the stop sign is Holgate Tire. Turn left between Holgate tire and Rosebush Fuels. The parking is behind holgate tire. Parking is limited so when you arrive and it is full turn left at the stop sign and immediately over the bridge turn left onto gravel drive. You will have to walk down to the dam and put in below and ferry across to river left and the wave. I am not sure how accessible it is from that side though due to cliff.
(Cannifton Rd. is indicated on the map. Can anyone pinpoint the put in? Click the “edit” link under the map to open the map, then click any place on the map to move the pushpin)

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Other area activities:

The Moira is one of the rivers included in Mackfest.

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This entry needs more detail on:

• nearby accommodation
• where to find water levels
  
• what those water levels mean to this river
  
• what the river looks like at various levels.
  Can you help? Click the "edit" links at the top of the page to add information.