The Potomac is the longest and most diverse river system in Maryland, reaching from the cold, high plateau of the Alleghenys to the broad waters of the Chesapeake Bay and tidewater. This trips starts off with a short portage on the right around a four-foot dam at Potomac Edison’s power plant. The river flows two and a half miles before the 13 miles of deadwater behind Dam No. 4. This might be tolerable if the river was scenic, but instead the banks are lined by a distasteful display of summer homes including mobile homes, trailers, and shacks. This section is not the best on the Potomac but is available throughout the year.