Location

2893 Rte 9W
New Windsor
NY

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Camera gauge is down till the river goes down and we can replace the batteries…river should hold thru around Oct. 5th.
Moodna creek most recent picture. Talk to the usgs if you want an actual gauge. Lower but still a lot of fun flow is where water just hits the ledge on the center pillar. (See top picture). Moodna can be run much lower depending on your tolerance for scratchiness. The foreground in these pictures is typical of what you’ll be dealing with in picking your way down.
ELF (Extra Low Flow) as much as a foot below the ledge, with some awkward rocks on some of the drops and water quality deteriorating in the summer.

Below are older pictures so you can gauge how quickly the Moodna’s rising or falling.

Moodna creek recent picture. Talk to the usgs if you want an actual gauge.Moodna creek older picture. Talk to the usgs if you want an actual gauge.


Green lines at 1 foot intervals above the ledge.
Realtime celular rivercam data and setup thanks to https://rivercam.io/.
Moonda is at it’s best days after big rains when it’s running clear and most flashier stuff isn’t running.

moodna-higher-water-guessHigher flow – stout, getting into class 4

18″ above center ledge, all ledges covered holes are getting pretty substantial though more sneak routes open up. Running first dam isn’t outright boat abuse. Most rapids have sneaks at higher levels, but pillars, peril and factory are getting into class 4 territory.

Moodna pillar gauge 6" above ledge (with nearly the entire upstream ledge covered) is the highest level that the great surf hole/wave below the island below the tooth has attainment service.

6″ above the ledge (click for detail)

Good lower flow:

At about 6″ above ledge (with nearly the entire upstream ledge covered) is the highest level that the great surf hole/wave below the island below the tooth has attainment service. Class 2 upper section has some play but if you like your boat portage the first dam.

Shows moonda at guessed low flow with foreground just getting covered and wave just hitting ledge on pillarLow Flow:

With water around the level of the ledge you should be able to get down the whole run but without a ton of play. Class 2 section is scrapy but passable.

ELF (Extra Low Flow):

Significant scraping, little surf but you should be able to stay in your boat is around 1 foot below the ledge is the limit of ELF (Extra Low Flow). Hole below the tooth is a straightforward surf, you’ll get caught at the top of the 2nd dam but be able to slide down. As of 2023 only the last rapid in gorge, the no longer aptly named rootball, (recognized by a hard right turn with an island with most of the low flow going right) had issues with an awkward pair of rocks in the main flow of the drop. Moodna low-flow-1 July 23Let us know if you find an alternative.
Normally only the gorge (32 to Forge Hill Road) is run at low flows.

Pillars line is normally hitting the eddies on the right of this picture above the far right pillars and then ferrying into the meat to left of the central pillar or dropping off the cheat at the furthest point of the shelf to the right of the central ‘wave’ pillar. From above the sneak looks like a vertical drop into a retentive hole, but is a sloping slide.

Maximum Water Flow Level: The V shaped channel of most of the river makes running at higher waters relatively safe as holes in the center of the river can be avoided. Moodna also has some cso issues (combined sewage overflow) so best to run flashier and seldom run stuff during flood and save the Moodna for when things settle down.
Normal meeting spot is next to a brick building next to the river just west of 9w which provides a roof to change into your dry gear. https://goo.gl/maps/MNuGY8rCdWJdKiYx5. 2893 Rte 9W, New Windsor.
Normal launch is next to the river on Pleasant Hill Road. 45 Pleasant Hill Rd, New Windsor, NY https://goo.gl/maps/Pr6YCUN9vd5QUoDW6?coh=178572&entry=tt.
Gorge/low water/short run launch it where 32 crosses the river. Ample parking southeast of river. Carry down spillway carefully or thru woods.  https://goo.gl/maps/MBdZqhv9EeKYiUzn8. 2181 NY-32, New Windsor, NY 12553.
Gorge/low water/short run take out is just below the bridge on Forge Hill Road at the Brewster Forge Historic Marker. Limited parking for normal clearance vehicles; more parking down a short steep road for 4 wheel drive vehicles. https://goo.gl/maps/MBdZqhv9EeKYiUzn8. 169 Forge Hill Rd., Cornwall NY.W
Normally only the gorge (32 to Forge Hill Road) is run at low flows.

Pillars line is normally hitting the eddies on the right of this picture above the far right pillars and then ferrying into the meat to left of the central pillar or dropping off the cheat at the furthest point of the shelf to the right of the central ‘wave’ pillar. From above the sneak looks like a vertical drop into a retentive hole, but is a sloping slide.

River Classification *III , IV

Description This River is listed on the American Whitewater site at https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1350/main. Class III,IV section begins at the Rt. 94 bridge.  and ends at the Forge Hill Rd. Bridge,

Medical Emergencies  *Saint Luke’s Cornwall Hospital is within 1 1/4 mile of the entire run.
Montefiore St. Luke’s Hospital, 70 Dubois St, Newburgh, NY 12550 has a 24 hour emergency room and is 4 miles north of the pullout.
Evacuation Plan *The first 2 rapids including the class 4 Teeth Rapid have good access to Route 94 (though thru private property). The Teeth also has access to Mill St. on river right. The next few rapids including the class 3 factory has access via private property in the paved remains of the old carpet factory on river right. All subsequent rapids have 4 wheel drive access via an old rail-bed on river right. Cell phone service is excellent, and Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps is at 1 Clinton Street Cornwall, NY 12518, within 2 miles of the entire run. Dial 911 in an emergency.
For the class 2 section above and below the harder part, 94 parallels the upper section and Forge Hill Road parallels the lower section, both on river right.
Flatwater above the Pleasant Hill Road with the drama of running under the Moodna Viaduct train trestle.
Tidewater below 9 with a pretty estuary. Closest accessible takeout if you head down river is Sloop Hill State Unique Area.

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