North Fork Feather (CA) WW Schedule

The 2004 whitewater release dates will be June 27, July 24/25, August 28/29, September 25/26 and October 23/24.  These dates correspond to the 4^th weekend of each month (not the last since some months have five weekends). The Cresta whitewater release scheduled for Saturday June 26^th has been canceled to protect frog egg masses and tadpoles.  With the exception of June, all release weekends occur in the following order; Cresta on Saturday; Rock Creek on Sunday.   Release volumes start at 1600 cfs in June and progressively decrease each month mimicking the flows that would have naturally occurred in the river channel for a given date. 

The Rock Creek reach contains two distinct whitewater sections in the nine-mile length:  The Class III Rodgers Flat run starts directly downstream of Rock Creek dam terminating 4.5 miles downstream at Tobin Vista overlook.  The Class V Tobin reach begins at this point.  The Tobin reach contains house size boulders of polished sierra granite.  The 1600 cfs release proves exciting in this reach.  Be sure to assess your personal paddling skills prior to tackling the Tobin section—it’s easy to be lured along when you see Class V paddlers making it look easy.

Releases into the five-mile Class IV Cresta reach will start on the 4^th weekend in July.  Parking at the put-in is severely limited for both river reaches. We request that boaters leave their vehicles at the take-out.  American Whitewater will provide shuttles to the put-ins.

Releases are scheduled for 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Volumes are dependent on the month and water year type.  Up to date flow information including release schedules and real-time flow information is posted on the American Whitewater website; Rock Creek streampage.  The flow information will be posted for both the Rock Creek and Cresta stream reaches.  You can customize the American Whitewater homepage to display flow information for the North Fork Feather.

American Whitewater fought hard (five years of effort) to restore flows to the Rock Creek and Cresta sections.  The battle is not over.  American Whitewater participates in monthly meetings as a member of the adaptive management team.  This group consists of state and federal resource agencies, PG&E and other special interest groups.  The group regularly reviews reports on the chemical, biological and physical health of the river.  American Whitewater staff time and travel to attend these meetings is funded largely through membership dues and donations.  Membership in American Whitewater enables staff to restore whitewater opportunities such as the Rock Creek and Cresta reaches, protect those successes as well as look to the future restoring additional reaches in California and throughout the nation.  If you enjoy paddling the North Fork Feather please consider supporting this restoration effort by joining American Whitewater.  Don’t freeload on your boating buddies membership—pay your fair share for the restoration and protection of our whitewater resources.  You can join American Whitewater online or call 406-837-3155 for membership.

Where Did The Whitewater Come From?

Why are there whitewater releases on the Rock Creek and Cresta Sections?

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission required PG&E to relicense these hydropower projects.  Relicensing requires the utility to mitigate for impacts to fisheries, wildlife and recreation.  Under the old license, the hydro project greatly reduced if not completely eliminated whitewater opportunities on these reaches.

Who pushed for restoring whitewater flows on the Feather in the relicense process?

American Whitewater, Shasta Paddlers and Chico Paddleheads.  Initially these groups were told by numerous entities not to fight for whitewater releases on the North Fork Feather.  In their words there was not room for whitewater recreation physically in the canyon and the project could not afford the lost power generation.  The whitewater groups ignored these comments instead choosing to fight for what they thought was fair and equitable mitigation.

What is the annual whitewater release schedule?

In years 1 through 3 there is a whitewater release one weekend each month (Saturday – Cresta, Sunday – Rock Creek) June through October.  Volumes start at 1600 cfs in June and decrease progressively each month to 1000 cfs by October.  In drought years the volume decreases each month and October releases are cancelled.

Starting in year 4 use triggers (meaning quotas for the number of boaters present on a given whitewater release) can add additional weekends for that respective month in the following year.  The cap for whitewater releases is 38 annually; 19 for Cresta and 19 for Rock Creek.

What type of monitoring occurs on whitewater release weekends?

During each whitewater release in years 1-3 there are consultants monitoring the number of recreational users and the biological effects of whitewater releases on the river environment.  The monitoring studies were developed collaboratively by the resource agencies, PG&E, fishing groups and whitewater groups.   The studies are designed in a fashion that allows objective assessment of whitewater flows.  Thus far in 2002 the studies have not detected significant impacts on aquatic biota or habitat.

Why is there so much negative press about the whitewater flows impacting fish and angling opportunities?

A participant in the collaborative relicensing of these hydropower projects walked from the process at the midnight hour after several years of negotiations.  The collaborative team was not able to support the participant’s extreme views for flow regimes in the North Fork Feather.  That individual has now become a vocal minority opposing the settlement and whitewater flows in particular.  That individual is using the press as a tool and making false claims to create controversy.

Where can I get flow information and a schedule for next year’s whitewater releases?

Real time flow information is available at www.americanwhitewater.org.  Go to river levels or the river guides page for the North Fork Feather.

What can I do to help support the North Fork Feather River and other whitewater rivers in California and across the country?

Join American Whitewater!  Your annual membership dues of $35 help support conservation on the Feather and other rivers across the state and country.  American Whitewater is working on 22 other hydro projects in California alone.   You can join online at www.americanwhitewater.org/membership.