During the federal hydropower relicensing process, American Whitewater worked with PG&E and other stakeholders to secure scheduled annual whitewater releases from Cresta Dam on the North Fork Feather River. These managed releases provide dependable boating opportunities on one of California’s premier Class IV whitewater runs. In 2026, the scheduled releases will occur on October 31–November 1 at 800 cubic feet per second (cfs).
The Cresta Reach offers Class IV technical rapids, fast-moving current through Granite Domes that slope to the rivers edge and a riverbed littered with large pieces of Granite. Despite highway 70, and the railroad lining both banks, boaters will seldom notice an intrusion to their outing. These scheduled releases provide a rare opportunity to experience reliable flows on a reach that is otherwise unavailable for much of the year.
