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Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (WA)

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:projects:little_wenatchee.jpgThe Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests encompass over 4 million acres and are managed as one forest with headquarters in Wenatchee, Washington. The rivers on this Forest are very important to the whitewater paddling community both as a close-to-home destination for residents of Washington State and as a popular objective for paddling road trips for paddlers from across the country. During the spring snow melt, the rivers flow fast and cold but the days are long and the dry sunny weather of Eastern Washington is ideal for living out of your rig and using a bike shuttle to take in the great whitewater the region offers.

American Whitewater's priorities are conservation of the rivers and the surrounding forest through wilderness protection of headwaters, designation of river corridors under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and policies that encourage adequate funding of recreation sites and roads providing access used by paddlers, climbers, mountain bikers, and hikers.

Wenatchee, Okanogan, and Colville National Forest Planning

The Forest Service is developing a new Forest Plan for these forests that will guide management for the next decade or more. The last plan was in 1990. Of interest to river advocates, these plans evaluate rivers for Wild and Scenic designation. Once a river is determined to be suitable for designation it is managed to protect its free-flowing nature until Congress has an opportunity to take action.

In its previous 1990 plan the Forest Service determined that the Little Wenatchee, Rattlesnake Creek, Tieton, Naches, and Cooper were not suitable for Wild and Scenic designation. They found that these rivers did not have outstanding remarkable values of regional or national significance. These rivers are obviously significant resources for the whitewater community and with the increase in creek boating since 1990, the Forest Service needs to reevaluate these rivers.

In the 1990 Forest Plan the following rivers were deemed eligible and suitable for Wild and Scenic designation:

  • American
  • Chiwawa
  • Cle Elum
  • Entiat
  • Icicle Creek
  • Napeequa
  • Waptus
  • Wenatachee
  • White


The following rivers were deemed ineligible or not suitable:

  • Bumping
  • Cooper
  • Kachess
  • Little Naches
  • Little Wenatchee
  • Mad
  • Naches
  • North Fork Entiat
  • Teanaway
  • Tieton
  • Rattlesnake Creek

American Whitewater is working to see this list of rivers reevaluated as part of the new Forest Plan. To be eligible for designation, a river must be free-flowing and possess one or more Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORV): these values can include scenery, recreation, geology, fish, wildlife, prehistory, history, or other values (e.g. hydrology, paleontology, botany, etc.) At least one of these must be an ORV for the river to be Wild and Scenic.

As outlined in Forest Service handbook, the key point is that “in order to be assessed as outstandingly remarkable, a river-related value must be a unique, rare, or exemplary feature that is significant at a comparative regional or national scale.” Specifically the value must represent a “conspicuous example from among a number of similar values that are themselves uncommon or extraordinary.”

For recreation, “opportunities the river provides are, or have the potential to be, popular enough to attract visitors from throughout or beyond the region of comparison or are unique or rare within the region. Visitors are willing to travel long distances to use the river resources for recreational purposes.”

If you are writing comments to the agency, keep these points in mind for what merits an “Outstanding Remarkable Value” and in particular any changes that have occurred since 1990. One obvious change is the development of creek boating (particularly relevant to the Cooper and Little Wenatchee).


The contacts below include staff and volunteers working on this project. Make sure you are logged in if you wish to join the group.

Title Name City
Thomas O'Keefe Seattle WA Details...

Documents

Recreation Components Comments on Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (9/28/2011)

Comments on the Recreation Components of the Proposed Action for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Plan Revision

Whitewater Paddling in the North Cascades [print version] (12/6/2008)

American Whitewater's survey of 165 whitewater enthusiasts on whitewater rivers of the North Cascades.

Whitewater Paddling in the North Cascades [web version] (12/6/2008)

American Whitewater's survey of 165 whitewater enthusiasts on whitewater rivers of the North Cascades.

Wenatchee Okanogan NF RFA Comment 3JAN2008 (10/3/2024)

Comment on Recreation Facility Analysis for Wenatchee and Okanogan National Forests

Colville National Forest Wild and Scenic River Analysis 1990 (12/31/1990)

Wild and Scenic River assessment of the Kettle River.

Wenatchee National Forest Wild and Scenic River Analysis 1990 (12/31/1990)

Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Assessment from the 1990 Forest Plan for the Wenatchee National Forest.

Okanogan National Forest Wild and Scenic River Analysis 1990 (12/31/1990)

Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Assessment from the 1990 Forest Plan for the Okanogan National Forest.

Wild and Scenic Eligibility Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Plan (9/28/2011)

Comments on Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville Forest Plan Revision Proposed Action

American Whitewater Comments on Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Plan (9/28/2011)

American Whitewater comments on the Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Plan Revision Proposed Action

Tumwater Dam Removal Letter (7/19/2022)

Letter advocating for the removal of Tumwater Dam

Associated Rivers

Box Canyon Creek WA
to Kachess Reservoir III-IV+(V)
Cooper River WA
Lake Creek WA
Little Naches WA
Little Wenatchee WA
Peshastin Creek WA
Rattlesnake Creek (Naches trib.) WA
Tieton, S. Fork WA
Waptus WA
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