Feather, N. Fork

2) Rock Creek Dam to Rock Creek Powerhouse

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July 19, 2024

Cleaver has Changed

ReporterDave Steindorf
Gauge Reading450 cfs at NF FEATHER R BL ROCK CREEK DIV DAM
FlowLow Flow

After hearing about Chris Chandler having a bad run at the Cleaver in the Tobin section of the NF Feather River, I decided to go up a check it out. The rapid has changed quite drastically. The pool elevation at the top has dropped about two feet. It looks like a large rock on the right side of the boof rock moved out. Now there is quite a bit of flow going to the right of the boof rock. The big issue is that there is much more of the Cleaver rock showing, this is where Chris got pinned. The upstream point of the Cleaver rock is undercut and jagged and all of the flow pushes into it. Not at all surprising that Chris got stuck there. I strongly recommend portaging this at low flows. We will have to see what it looks like at release flows, and it should definitely be scouted.