Klamath

Photos from the June 11, 2020 whitewater boating flow study of Ward's Canyon conducted by Confluence Research as part of the Klamath dam removal project. The research question to be answered was: what will the whitewater in Wards Canyon be like at its projected annual low flow following the removal of the Klamath's four hydropower dams. Based on analysis and modeling of Klamath river flows, it is expected that the summertime low flow following dam removal will be 700-800 cfs through Wards Canyon in low water years..

With the cooperation of PacifiCorp in June 2020, flows of 700 cfs and 800 cfs were released from Copco 2 Dam into the Klamath River through Wards Canyon for the whitewater boating flow study. Study participants included American Whitewater staff, Confluence Research staff, and staff from three of the commercial outfitters that routinely operate on the Upper Klamath Hells Corner section. Craft types included hardshell kayaks, inflatable cataraft, and various sizes of self-bailing oar-rig whitewater rafts. Boaters ran the canyon at both the 700 and 800 cfs flows on the same day.

These photos are from the 800 cfs flow, and we paddled from the base of the Copco 2 Dam down to the Fall Creek access at the top of Iron Gate Reservoir. Flows were more than the minimum necessary for a quality whitewater experience for all craft types, indicating that this section of river will be boatable year-round (the 700 cfs flow was also determined to be more than minimum necessary for a quality whitewater experience).

The complete Whitewater Boating Study is available here and also covers post-dam removal whitewater on the Keno, Big Bend, and Hells Corner runs..