Sierra snow meltdown approaches its full force
With temperatures in the Sierra rising into the 80s, an unusually late mountain-snowcap meltdown is causing downstream flows to rise rapidly.
For Steve Jones, Placer County Water Agency’s power system manager for the past 28 years, the strong flows are a late-June rarity. Middle Fork Power System measurements showed flows more than 3½ times above normal for this time of year.
“We’ve had seasons like this before but not in a long time,” Jones said.
Jones, who will retire July 1, said that for the first time since 1983, the water agency’s Hell Hole Reservoir will continue spilling into July. Jones said that the dam started to release water over its top June 7 and projections are that it will continue to do so through July 27.
That sends more water downstream along the Middle Fork of the American River. Measurements on Monday showed a flow of 3,600 cubic feet per second. Jones said a normal flow at this time would be about 1,000 cfs.
For commercial rafters, that means the upper Middle Fork – and its infamous Tunnel Chute – are too wild to take a chance on.
“When the flows get even above 1,500 cfs, they don’t like to raft it,” Jones said. “And the Tunnel Chute, they just can’t get through.”
The chute, a man-made tunnel carved out of rock by 19th century gold miners to divert the riverbed, is one of the high points of a Middle Fork whitewater run.
Nate Rangel, president of California Outdoors whitewater rafting organization, said Monday that the industry is working around the water conditions, and moving more excursions onto the North and South Forks of the American River.
“We’re playing it by ear and I don’t expect to be on the Middle Fork until at least the middle of July,” Rangel said. “We’re just lucky we have three awesome rivers.”
Rangel, the owner of Coloma’s Adventure Connection rafting business, said that outfitters are taking some extra steps this spring and summer because of the colder water and higher flows.
Rafters are running multiple-boat trips rather than single boats and adding kayakers for safety.
Wetsuits are also being used on trips and that should continue through early July, Rangel said.
The cold water and high flows are cause for concern with the Auburn State Recreation Area. The Middle and North Forks of the American River come together at the confluence, in the canyon below Auburn.
Man Made White Water Rapids - News
The chute, a man-made tunnel carved out of rock by 19th century gold miners to divert the riverbed, is one of the high points of a Middle Fork whitewater run. Nate Rangel, president of California Outdoors whitewater rafting organization,
Another great location for water activities is Lehigh Gorge. The 4548-acre park's Lehigh River is a whitewater rafting favorite. Many different outfitters, including Jim Thorpe River Adventures (www.jtraft.com) and Whitewater Challenger
RIVER RUNNING — A Wisconsin man drowned while rafting on the Lochsa River on Saturday, according to a report filed today by SR reporter Alison Boggs. This is the second rafting fatality in the region this spring, following the death of a Hauser, Idaho
A man drowns while rafting near the Ocoee Whitewater Center outside of Ducktown, Sunday afternoon. Dan Hicks with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the 36-year-old man was riding in the raft when it flipped. The victim was wearing a life
Sixteen-year-old Andrew Silvershein drowned Sunday while white-water rafting with fellow campers on the Ocoee River in southern Tennessee. He was attending Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia. The group goes rafting in the Ocoee River every summer.
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