AW has completed a study of instream flow needs for recreation on the Crooked River in Oregon. Our thanks go out to Evan Stafford who completed the data analysis and put this report together. The information will provide river managers with important information on how the river is used by whitewater paddlers. We are working on similar efforts throughout the West where we see increasing pressures on limited water resources for irrigation, municipal water supplies, fish and wildlife, and recreation. Understanding the flow needs of all services rivers provide is important to informed discussions regarding future management.

Despite the fact that the Crooked River is one of the most spectacular whitewater runs in the Pacific Northwest, adequate flows for whitewater recreation are rarely found due to irrigation diversions and the impoundment of the main fork at Prineville and of Ochoco Creek, a major tributary below Prineville. During those rare years when the reservoir is full and water cascades down the Crooked bringing it to life, paddlers flock from throughout the region to enjoy this incredible river. There are two whitewater stretches of the Crooked: the class IV (V) Upper Crooked, from Lone Pine Bridge to Crooked River Ranch and the class III (IV) Lower Crooked, from Crooked River Ranch to Billy Chinook Reservoir. Some combine both reaches for a long day on the water.

Over the 2006 and 2007 paddling seasons AW surveyed paddlers through using an internet-based approach. We found a minimum acceptable flow of 1,400 cfs for both reaches with optimum flows for the Crooked River between 2,000 and 3,400 cfs.

Read the full report by checking the document link and check out the AW pages for these reaches which include maps of the major features.