Mill Spring Academy to Riverside Rd.

State: GA River: Marsh Creek Section: Mill Spring Academy to Riverside Road. Reach ID: 4342 Comment: on 9-5-04 we received 2.5in rain. So we decided to drive to marsh creek. The parking at the putin is sketchy to say the least so be stealth. Sope creek spiked at 11.75ft. When we arrived the creek was cranking and the gauge was under water. I think it was around 7ft (gauge goes to 6.6ft). Having only run it once at low water (1.6ft) we decided to let it drop a bit. There are 4 sewer pipes to contend with, and one of these pipes will be a portage at all levels. At 7 feet you could have paddled over the first two pipes but paddling under the bridge at Dalrymple Road would be too close for comfort. We let the water drop to 4 ft. and eddy hopped our way down, playing limbo under the first two pipes and portaging the third. At this level the creek is tight and technical class IV boogie water with 4 larger drops. The largest single drop is a 8ft. slide right above the bridge at Dalrymple Road, and at 4ft packs a pretty stiff hole. We punched it (barely) on the right corner, but at higher flows a boof to the left would be a good idea. There is some flat water past the bridge a few strainers and one more pipe. Paddle across the hooch to the takeout and reset shuttle and do it again. The second run was 2.4ft and the third 2.0ft. The water quaility is nasty but this is the best creek I have paddled in metro Atlanta.