Guide School 101

It doesn’t get you a PhD after your name or on the honor roll in college, but going to Guide School puts you in the company of some pretty amazing people.

Most guides on our rivers will have completed either a formal or informal guide school with one of the more than 30 raft companies who call the South Fork of the American River home. These vary in length, intensity and comprehensiveness, but each is geared toward turning that person sitting in the back of your boat into someone who can get you to paddle in sync, steer you out of danger, pull you back into the raft, and probably tell you a pretty good joke or two. As an added bonus, many guide schools second as river cooking schools, and if you’ve never tasted a riverside dutch-oven brownie, well some might say, you haven’t really rafted.

Guide schools vary greatly company to company with some offering training over successive weekends for guides living relatively locally, to guide schools comprehensive enough to train students in the arts of paddle guiding, rowing, and of course, river cooking. Often, these latter types of guide schools appeal to river guide hopefuls as well as the rafting client who wants something beyond the typical river trip, wants a greater challenge and the opportunity for a more wild adventure. These longer guide schools offer training on multiple rivers and involve multi-day raft trips and off-river education in knot tying, boat loading and repair, river mechanics, camp set-up and so on.

Some guide schools offer whitewater rescue classes as part of the curriculum and additional classes in this essential training are available for guides to take independently as well. First Aid and CPR certification training is required of all South Fork guides, and California State Parks offers a half day of early season rescue scenario training annually for river guides and managers. Often, guides will choose to further their first aid training with Wilderness First Aid/First Responder or EMT training.

Guide School is usually a wonderful experience &mdash and leaves you with a number of great stories to tell &mdash just as that person sitting on the back of your boat!

More information on guide schools can be found by contacting any of these organizations: All Outdoors, ARTA River Trips, Mother Lode River Center, and W.E.T. River Trips. Or ask your raft company about their training opportunities.

By Heather Freer
Photo courtesy of Mother Lode River Center.

2009 Rafting Flows Confirmed!

Rafting Stimulus Package: Recent Storms Guarantee Great 2009 Rafting!

A wise old river rafter once told me that the snow pack in the Sierras is largely built by three major storms each season. One storm more or less often determines whether a particular season is normal, below normal, or wet in nature. Attempting to predict the outcome is therefore a risky business. It is wiser to relax and just see what happens. It isn't over 'till it's over.

Once again this observation has proven true. While just a few weeks ago the concern was about critical drought conditions, now, one big storm later, the snow pack that feeds the American River is at 101% of normal. Once quiescent, all three Forks of the American River are swollen bright red with runoff. In fact, the North Fork briefly peaked at 11,000cfs. That’s three times safe boating flows. Folsom Lake filled to 92% of capacity virtually overnight!

Bottom line: It is going to be another great season for rafting on the American River! It is time to get out your river gear, Spring boating has arrived.

This is another example of why drought conditions in California as a whole do not prevent rafting on dam-controlled rivers such as the South and Middle Forks of the American River. The South Fork, for example, has multiple reservoirs upstream of Chili Bar that are controlled by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and are collectively referred to as the SOFAR Project. Because of the FERC re-licensing process that ended in 2007 with the acceptance of the Alternative Proposal, the South Fork was guaranteed to have good rafting flows this season, even before this recent storm. In fact, this agreement now provides for predictable recreational flows for rafting for the next 50 years.

Now here is the truly great news, while climate change may diminish snow pack levels in the future, and population increases will undoubtedly increase demand on dwindling water supplies, even in "super dry" years there are 5 days a week of guaranteed water flow for boating on the South Fork. That means Thursday through Monday, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, we can count on good flows that begin and end at specific times of the day, even in the worst drought years ever recorded! Furthermore, 90% of boaters would choose the period in which the flows are guaranteed anyway. That means that even in the worst of times, boating is great on the South Fork of the American. This river has the most reliable water flows of any Class III whitewater river in the West!

One more remarkable fact: The total volume of water that flows down the river is not affected by rafting. No one will go thirsty as a result of your boating the river. The only effect of this agreement was to alter the timing of the release of a relatively small amount of this water, approximately 2% of the total, with the result that a huge amount of recreation results from a relatively small change in the release regimen. This is a win, win situation that benefits recreation, fish, wildlife and also SMUD itself by building a reservoir of valuable community support. Thank you SMUD! We all hope for a similarly favorable outcome on the re-licensing of the Middle Fork of the American, which is currently under way with PG&E.

See you on all three Forks of the American River this season,

Scott the River Doc and the MaLode Crew

Thanks to Scott Underwood of Mother Lode River Center for this spring 2009 update!

April 20 - NEW DATE - 2009 Triple Crown 3 Forks American Whitewater Race

For the second April in a row, commercial outfitters and individual kayakers will be racing all three forks of the American River, competing for the best on-water time of under twelve hours. Stephen Liles, race coordinator and president of W.E.T. River Trips, says this is an expansion of last year's first race where his team navigated the usual commercial runs of the North, Middle, and South Forks in 11 hours. "This race is for fun," he described, and a perpetual trophy will go to the raft team with the best time that's measured on-river only -- "No shuttle races!"

The date has been set for April 20, when the conditions should be right, especially with regard to North Fork flows.  Registration is April 19, at Holiday Market in Cool (Highways 49 & 193), at 6pm. Liles is hoping for 6-10 outfitters to participate in the race, at a $50 entry fee per boat, one boat per company, with a maximum of 7 paddlers per boat. Kayakers are invited to compete for $10, and there will be a short and a long boat category.

The race starts at 6am at Mineral Bar/ the Iowa Hill Bridge on the North Fork. Spectators may be able to see North Fork action at Yankee Jim's Bridge / Shirttail Canyon, and the takeout at Ponderosa Way Bridge. Middle Fork viewing and cheering can happen at the Old Greenwood Bridge take-out. Folks can also go to the South Fork start at Camp Lotus and grand finish at Salmon Falls. Race footage will be available on You Tube (check out last year's footage on You Tube).

There will be an after-party, location to be announced, open to everyone. Come join the excitement and bring in the whitewater boating season. For more information, see the 2009 Triple Crown 3 Forks American Whitewater Race Facebook page. Or contact Stephen Liles at liles.stephen@gmail.com or (916) 616-1357.

American River Festival Sept 5-7

The 27th Annual American River Festival is expanded with shore activities, more fun for families, as well as more activities and competitions for seasoned and beginning paddlers. Come watch and participate in this fun weekend on water and land! Centered in Henningsen-Lotus Park (HLP), in Lotus, CA, land activities include games, food, music, nonprofit and exhibitor booths, and great spectator seats. River games and activities include races for those of all abilities, including a rodeo at First Threat, slalom races at Chili Bar, and raft and Topo Duo kayak races that end at HLP. Kids can participate in up to three fun fests on Saturday and Sunday!

The weekend kicks off on Friday night with a free dinner and movie showing at The River Store, 1032 Lotus Road in Lotus, CA 95651. Registration for weekend events is available there ($5-$15 per event, with a package discount), and on Saturday & Sunday mornings at HLP.

Saturday night is the big party at EarthTrek - dinner, live music, auctions, and an awards ceremony. Tickets for the party are $25. Call or visit The River Store at 530-626-3435, or email robin@TheRiverStore.com, for party tickets -- and also if you would like to volunteer to help this great event be as fun as it possibly can. The ARF benefits several river-focused nonprofits.

Weekend schedule and prices are available on the festival's website, www.AmericanRiverFestival.org. Come on down!

American River Whitewater Assured for 2008!

Thanks to Scott Underwood of Mother Lode River Trips for this snowpack report and 2008 whitewater outlook.

Those of you who have visited Lake Tahoe recently know that something exciting is happening in the Sierras. Whether you were chaining up and crawling along in traffic, hunkered down waiting out a blizzard, sliding over a slope, or like my Dog Charlie, just sitting enjoying it, snow is happening up here! For those of us who are anticipating the spring thaw, the recent snow survey just pegged the water content at 125% of normal. It is going to be a great season for whitewater somewhere on the American River in 2008.

The North, South and Middle Forks of the American River all benefit from one of the heaviest annual snowfalls in the Sierras. Blue Canyon, their primary watershed, averages among the highest annual precipitations in John Muir's "Range of Light." Combine this with a system of large reservoirs on the South and Middle Forks of the American and you have the most reliable source of whitewater fun on the West Coast.

In 2006 the Sacramento Municipal Utility District finished a re-licensing process on its Upper American River Project (UARP) on the South Fork that made recreational flows a mandated priority for the first time. What this means is that the snow we are currently enjoying is more than sufficient to provide reliable, exciting flows on the South Fork from Memorial Day to Labor Day—guaranteed! This will be true most years in the fifty-year duration of this license.

The Middle Fork of the American also has a large upstream reservoir, Oxbow, which will also provide reliable flows if the current trends continue. I would be willing to bet a lot on it being a great season, but unlike the South Fork, there is no formal agreement that guarantees it. We will have to wait a bit longer to be absolutely certain.

The North Fork of the American has no reservoirs upstream of the whitewater runs. The melt on the North Fork is notoriously fickle and anyone betting heavily on the outcome now should probably stay away from the gaming tables. Nevertheless, all indications are this river will have a good season too.

What about the other rivers in the Sierra? They need to be addressed on a river-by-river basis depending on the location of their drainage, whether there are large upstream reservoirs or not, etc. Suffice it to say that if the snow keeps falling, it stays cold and the pineapple express doesn't show up—it looks good.

So if you are interested in boating on the Forks of the American this spring and summer, Mother Nature has just refilled your prescription of aqua-Prozac. Make sure your gear is ready, or call an outfitter to book your reservations, the rate limiting factor is not likely to be water this season!

Scott Underwood, Mother Lode River Trips

South Fork Shuttle Survey

Members of the El Dorado County River Management Advisory Committee (RMAC) & local interested parties are exploring the idea of developing a shuttle program for the South Fork of the American River.

In order to determine the feasibility of such a venture, they are asking for your input. Make sure your voice is heard! Please take the time to answer a few questions in their survey.

thanks to Theresa Simsiman

The American River Flows Free Again!

The American River near Auburn is flowing free for the first time in 40 years after local agencies closed the tunnel and rebuilt the riverbed around the Auburn Dam site. Since it is likely that the Auburn Dam will never be built (after years of controversy and $400 million dollars) government agencies have returned the river to its original bed, with a few manmade improvements paddlers will love. An architecturally designed permanent river bottom – a series of pools lined with stone embedded in concrete – will create a swirling stretch of class III rapids as long as the water is up, according to the agencies that spent $30 million to restore the riverbed. Because of the attraction, the designers also created a concrete "portage" path alongside the river where paddlers can easily portage their kayak, canoe or raft, perhaps to carry it back for another ride down the rapids.

Boaters accessing this newly opened recreation area will likely put in at the confluence and take out at Rattlesnake Bar, 6 miles downstram, flows permitting. Although the stretch does not rival the exciting class IV and V stretches on the upriver forks of the Middle and North American, this mellow stretch will be perfect for families, paddling instruction, and anyone looking for a scenic, mellow river trip. According to Bill Center, former El Dorado County Superviser, owner of Camp Lotus, and longtime paddler, "It really does open up a sweet section of the river."

The restoration work also included a water-pumping station on the riverbank that will serve 55,000 homes a year for the Placer County Water Agency. Builders created a chute alongside the left bank that will channel a stream into the pump station. The $30 million price tag for the entire river restoration work includes the high cost of the pumping station.

Boaters could begin using this stretch of river as early as next spring, although there are some challenges faced by Auburn State Parks and Recreation Department regarding parking. Jay Galloway, Park Superintendent, expects to hold hearings and invite public comment on the revised recreation plan sometime next spring. Stay tuned so your voice can be heard. For more information, click Friends of the River article, or Sacramento Bee article. Photo courtesy PARC.

New Auburn Dam report estimates $6-10 billion cost

In today's Sacramento Bee, Matt Weiser reports:

A new study puts the cost of constructing an Auburn dam somewhere between $6 billion and $10 billion—at least twice the cost of earlier estimates.

The report, released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, yielded other sobering revisions to previous assessments of building a concrete dam on the American River near Auburn: As originally designed, the dam would provide far less drinking and irrigation water than once believed and would cause more harm to adjacent recreation areas. The study also found the dam would not protect Sacramento from a worst-case flood.

And according to the Auburn Sentinel, "State Assemblyman Ted Gaines spoke at the Gold Country Rotary club last week. Gaines said the Auburn dam is a 'dead issue' and alternatives to the project are being sought. Gaines was on the Placer County Board of Supervisors, representing District 4, until his November election to the state Assembly."

For images and more details, see the Sacramento Bee article, "Auburn dam price tag soars." You can download the complete report from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Auburn-Folsom South Unit Special Report page.

The South Fork agreement is signed and sealed

Representatives of Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), PG&E, Friends of the River (FOR), the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, the American River
Recreation Association and other stakeholders signed an agreement for the relicensing of SMUD's Upper American River Project (UARP).

According to FOR, this agreement "greatly improves the existing conditions of the South Fork American River and its tributaries" by:

• Greatly increasing minimum flows on all river segments. These flows mimic natural variation, restore ecological functions, and enhance conditions for fish and wildlife.


• Enhancing recreation opportunities by creating new kayaking and rafting opportunities on the South Fork Silver Creek below Ice House reservoir as well as the South Fork American River below Slab Creek Dam.


• Creating pulse flows on the Rubicon River, South Fork Silver Creek, and Gerle Creek. These flows simulate natural springtime runoff events and maintain the river ecology by flushing sediment and debris, improving water temperature and quality, and creating habitat.


• Providing financial assistance to the U.S. Forest Service and BLM for the maintenance and operation of recreational facilities located on or near project reservoirs and affected river segments.


• Creating a quantitative and reliable flow schedule for California's most popular whitewater river—the South Fork American below Chili Bar reservoir.

Visit FOR's website for more details, a photograph of the signing, and downloads of the agreement and other related reports.

SMUD board approves South Fork relicensing agreement

Posted for Teresa Simsiman - After another 2 months of intense negotiation meetings and conference calls - I am pleased to announce that the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Board of Directors as of 1/25/07 has approved the the Relicensing Settlement Agreement for the Upper American River Project and Chili Bar Hydroelectric Project (South Fork of the American River).

To view the video or meeting agenda, go to the SMUD meeting archives and select the SMUD BOD Special Meeting of Jan 25, 2007.

An official signing ceremony will be held at the SMUD headquarters Monday, January 29, at 1 p.m. (I'm practicing my penmanship!) SMUD, PG&E, the Agencies, NGO's and individual signatories will sign the historic agreement for the UARP and Chili Bar Hydroelectric Project. In other words - IT WILL BE OFFICIAL!!!!!!

The river community will really reap the benefits of this agreement and once the agreement is posted to FERC I will share the details! In the meantime please consider joining us - WE NEED TO OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGE SMUD (they really like this sort of thing!!!). Thursday February 1, 6pm SMUD Auditorium, in the District's Headquarters Building at 6201 S St., Sacramento. If you can't make it please take the time to drop them a note - Go to the SMUD Board website and click on the ward links to contact Board members.

Theresa L. Simsiman
ROAR!

Off Season Chili Bar Put-In Operation

Posted for Mike Bean - As many of you have already discovered, this year the gate to the lower parking area at Chili Bar Put-In on the South Fork of the American River is being left open during daylight hours. The upper lot which is not part of the conservation easement owned and managed by the American River Conservancy (ARC) will most likely remain closed. It would be helpful for people parking in the lower lot to keep an eye out for dumping, campfires, vandalism, or other activities that would make it difficult to keep the gate open during the off season. Monies collected by private and commercial users of Chili Bar Put-In go to pay for seasonal staff and maintenance of the lower parking lot facilities. Any profit seen during a season goes into a disaster fund for major repairs. When funds in disaster fund reach $70,000, any profits are to be used for conservation activities performed by ARC. ARC has submitted a grant to acquire Richard De Chants' interest in the Chili Bar property and transfer the underlying fee title portion of the property to El Dorado County.

I would like to thank those that support ARC through their use of Chili Bar Put-In as well as those that support ARC through donations and volunteer time. The American River Conservancy is working hard to increase riverside habitat and water quality which I think directly benefits the experience of boaters on the South Fork of the American River.

Thanks again,
Mike Bean
Board Member
American River Conservancy

photo credit: Donna McMaster

South Fork American River flow forecast

(Posted for Bill Center) - We will continue to have weekend water releases from Chili Bar for the South Fork of the American River for the forseeable future. We are in discussions with SMUD about water for holidays between now and Memorial day, as well as Spring mid-week water. We have a very diminished snow-pack, but enough reservoir storage to ensure a good summer whitewater boating season.

Coloma-Lotus Chamber Membership Drive

2007 memberships are open for the Coloma-Lotus Chamber of Commerce. This active organization promotes business and community in the Coloma-Lotus Valley, with a heavy emphasis on recreation. Membership includes a listing in the printed Coloma-Lotus Guide, distributed throughout the Valley and at key El Dorado County locations. It also includes a listing in either the Coloma Valley Directory or The American River Directory.

Memberships are accepted throughout the year, but your application and payment must be received by February 23, 2007, to be included in the 2007 Coloma-Lotus Guide. There is an early bird discount for all payments received by January 15. See the Chamber Membership page for details.

Display advertising is also available in the Guide. Contact the Chamber for more information about advertisements in the Guide.

If you are interested in advertising on the Coloma Valley or The American River websites, see our Advertising page.

Survey of Non-Motorized Boating

California's Department of Boating and Waterways is conducting a study of non-motorized boating in California. The purpose is to assist with future planning and programs related to non-motorized boats. They have developed an online survey for non-motorized boaters, and would like to get input from as many boaters as possible. Take the survey.

South Fork Wild and Scenic - Act Today!

From Friends of the River:
We need your help to give the South Fork of the American River Wild & Scenic protection so that no new dams can ever harm it again.

But time is running out. If you haven't written a letter urging Wild & Scenic protection, please do so today! The deadline is December 13.

The South Fork American River — California's most popular whitewater river — has been recommended for Wild & Scenic protection by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and we need your help to make sure that really happens. Rafters, kayakers, and others who love the South Fork now have an opportunity to advocate for its protection against long-standing but currently shelved plans to build dams on the river. Federal protection would prohibit new dams, ensure that federal public lands along the river are managed to protect their outstanding values, and require upstream dam owners to operate those dams in a manner that protects river values.

Write a letter by December 13 to the BLM advocating for Wild & Scenic protection of the South Fork American River. For more information, click here.

SacBee on SMUD relicensing & Folsom Lake water

In today's SacBee.com, Matt Weiser reports in "Deal on raising river's flow:"

Outdoor lovers will begin to see major improvements along the American River's south fork in little more than a year under an agreement to modernize the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's vast hydroelectric system.

The article goes on to describe the agreement and the expected timeline for finalization and implementation.

Also in today's SacBee.com, on a different topic: in "Folsom Lake water limits lifted," Cathy Locke reports that "the state Water Resources Control Board has agreed to drop conditions restricting El Dorado Irrigation District's access to Folsom Lake water during certain periods."

Roar! This Day in History, Thank You's & Keys to the Candy Store

Posted for Theresa L. Simsiman

On Tuesday November 14, 2006 witnessing history in the making - drained & mentally exhausted the Agencies, NGO's, PG&E and SMUD sat across from each other in the Los Angeles room of the Marriot Hotel and agreed in principle to appendices A, B & C of the Agency/NGO's alternative proposal for the Upper American River Project. Though not likely to make the pages of "This Day in History" those of us following this historic soap opera should never forget the significance of this day! On this day in history, the 30-50 year legacy to restore our American River was officially put into play!

Here is the link to the documents filed & approved with FERC just today!

Who do we have to thank for this epic achievement? The simple answer, there isn't a SINGLE person we can thank! Rather, there is an entire COMMUNITY of river caring folks we should acknowledge for our private boating interests:

1. Our State & Federal Agency Representatives who truly waged the battle for our public trust. And while I would love to list all these individuals of great integrity and knowledge - that would take up my alloted 10 MB max. So I will bring to your attention the two individuals who most mattered to our private boater interests. First, the acknowledged general of the battle field - Beth Paulson, Forest Service - Eldorado National Forest. A firecracker who authored the alternative, kept the troops in line/informed and delicately but forcefully negotiated for our public trust throughout the proceedings. And second, the lone ranger of our interests below Chili Bar & Slab - Jim Eicher, Bureau of Land Management - Folsom. Jim literally was placed between a rock and a hard place but stood firm when it came to whitewater flows - never play poker with this man!


2. FRIENDS OF THE RIVER - serving as ROAR! headquarters I can not begin to express how important this organization is to our river interests! Ron Stork, Steve Evans & Soren Jespersen talk the talk & walk the walk! And because they have invested a lot of their time & resources on the UARP campaign and will continue to do so until the relicensing process is complete - I am making my pitch for folks with extra disposable income to send it their way - Donate to FOR - your dollars will not be wasted (be sure to type ROAR! in the comment line)


3. Bill Center - American River Recreation Association & Camp Lotus, Nate Rangel - President, California Outdoors, Chris Shutes - California Sportfishing Protection Alliance - despite the fact that our private boating is not their number one priority - these three remained steadfast spokespersons for everyone's interest and shared their wealth of knowledge for the asking.


4. Hilde Schweitzer - Private Boater. If one were to ask if one "lone" private boater could make a difference in a hydro relicensing effort you'd need look no further than Hilde. By patiently & tenaciously championing concepts like "year round" flow below Chili Bar, boatable flows on Ice House & boatable flows on the "crown jewel" SFA below Slab Creek - in one fell swoop she provided for the interests of all levels of private boaters class I-IV for no less than the next 30-50 years. There is no doubt this "lone" private boater made a difference.


5. Dave Steindorf - American Whitewater. With a plenty of other hydro relicensing projects on his plate Dave made the time to attend the negotiations and lend a hand.


6. Mark Davis, Chuck Siedler, Angela Arthur, Cathy Armstrong & Dan Bacher - in a restaurant full of so many fine chefs, to truly be successful, you need the folks willing to wait the tables and wash the dishes. In the scheme of things I was glad to roll up my sleeves to bus tables with these folks. These are the people who tirelessly attended or called in to ROAR! strategy meetings, consistently brought their smiling faces to the SMUD board meetings, helped write & fax press releases, wrote articles or spoke up for the UARP cause and overall tended to the trench work - not at all "high profile" but oh so important!


7. Last but not least the SMUD negotiating team - Jim Shetler, Steve Sorey, Scott Flake & Jim Tracy. Led by Jim Shetler these four cut through the red tape and really got to the meat of the matter. Not to mention for 2 weeks they had to literally walk into the lions den. We've spent a good amount of time pressuring the folks at SMUD it's time to sing their praises - SMUD Board website - be sure to mention how grateful we are for the top rate negotiating team!

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE KEYS TO THE CANDY STORE - IN A NUTSHELL HERE IS THE WHITEWATER WE GET!

Year round whitewater flows below Chili Bar specified in a detailed flow schedule.
Boatable whitewater flow schedule on Ice House for the Spring.
Boatable whitewater flow schedule on SFA Slab creek with possible increase in days once we demonstrate use.

It's been a long haul but well worth it! And if you were one of the folks who attended or spoke at a SMUD board meeting, who emailed your concerns to the board, who passed on ROAR! information, donated to ROAR!, sent encouraging email to keep up the good work, wrote articles or editorials etc - pat yourself on the back you've definitely contributed to a legacy that will benefit the Upper American River Project for the next 30-50 years. THANK YOU!

Theresa L. Simsiman, ROAR!

Sac Bee & USFS on SMUD relicensing

An article in the Sunday, November 12, Sacramento Bee indicates that the U.S. Forest Service is demanding major changes at American River dams owned by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

The following is an excerpt from the article, titled "SMUD dams face changes:"

The U.S. Forest Service is demanding major changes at American River dams owned by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, changes that could improve one of the Sierra Nevada's most popular recreation areas.

The demands came in a massive Oct. 18 filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is relicensing SMUD's 11 dams and eight powerhouses on the American River's south fork. The new license would allow SMUD to continue operating these facilities for 30 to 50 years. The Forest Service and others hope to improve recreation and wildlife habitat affected by the SMUD system.

Tensions have been high in the licensing process, which began in 2001 and is among the nation's most complex.

The full article, which can be found here, provides extensive details about the differences between SMUD and the coalition that includes the USFS and many other government agencies and nonprofit groups. See also the 3-D watershed map at the end of the article.

Another Weekend of South Fork Water!

We will have Chili Bar boating flows this coming weekend - 1500 cfs from 9-noon at Chili Bar - and, barring emergencies, that schedule will continue indefinitely. Obviously when rain starts we will start to see more. Until then, weekday water will be occasional and unpredictable, and Saturdays/Sundays will be 1500 cfs from 9-noon.

Ice House will not flow this weekend. SMUD has completed its maintenance at Union Valley, which was the reason for them needing to put water down the South Fork of Silver Creek below Ice House Dam.

SMUD: All Quiet on the Western Front

From Theresa L. Simsim, ROAR! Restore Our American River:

For the first time since last June ROAR! will have no official presence at the upcoming SMUD Board of Directors meeting. Leaving Jim Shetler & his SMUD team free to focus on the momentous task before them. And despite the connotation of my title - NO NEWS will be GOOD NEWS for the next few weeks as it will point to two sides engaging in real negotiation. In other words, after taking the time to clarify questions at what can be described as a positive meeting with the Agencies & NGO's - SMUD is now set to release their "red lined" version of the Agency/NGO alternative this Wednesday. If acceptable to the Agencies & NGO's, Thursday will mark the beginning of marathon negotiations with the common goal of settlement before the FERC deadline on November 17th. (Yes, I'm holding my breath!)

To occupy your wait time - here is the FERC link to the "new" Agency/NGO Alternative Proposal filed last October 18th. Note that the agencies refined the proposal to add even more flexibility for SMUD operations on the UARP (i.e. language that allows for variance in reservoir levels). Also on the link is the 300+ page rationale that details solid arguments for the proposal.

Since my beer mug is always half full - I'm hoping to share some good news in the next few weeks! In the meantime make sure to enjoy added perks like Ice House (if more flows are possible) and Chili Bar flows which will continue to be coordinated by Bill Center, Hilde Schweitzer, SMUD & PG&E.

CDEC Down, Water Up

CDEC isn't responding this morning, but Chili Bar as of 6:50 Saturday AM is at about 800 cfs and heading toward 1500 cfs at 9:00 am. Same thing on Sunday. No tricks today - just treats. Ice House too!!! Have a great weekend - if you are around Camp Lotus Sunday afternoon stop by for our end of season party - we're giving away our left over beer and candy to keep me from getting fat over the winter.

Weekend Water, Both Days!

I just talked to PG&E and Chili Bar is full, they intend to keep it full, so we should have about 1500 cfs from about 9-noon on both Saturday and Sunday. Flows over the past few days, and today, are from "extra" SMUD water - this new process is resulting in a little different pattern, but with the cooler mornings we will probably continue to get occasional mid-week morning flows like we did on Thursday. No one will be able to predict mid-week flows, which is the trade-off right now for getting much more reliable weekend flows.

Oct 28-29th Flows and Options

SMUD has committed to do a best effort attempt which barring emergencies and anticipating cooperation with PGE will result in flows on Chili Bar for both days-probably from 9-12 in the 1500 range Sat and Sunday.ICE HOUSE will run both days again from 10-1 in the 500cfs range. Remember daylight savings on Sunday so go early. The water temp is really cold so dress accordingly. The more use the better so get out there and boat-it's a really fun run.NF Feather will only have Sunday flows on the Rock Creek section, no Cresta release on Sat.This cooperation with SMUD in terms of coordinating recreational boating flows shows quite a bit of positive movement from how it has been done in the past. Hopefully the momentum will continue into a relicense that gets flows not only on Chili Bar throughout the year but on Slab and Ice House, two new runs.Enjoy-If you do go to Ice House, please post so we get an idea on how much use it is getting. Obviously, the more, the better
hilde

Wild & Scenic Protection for the South Fork American River - Meeting Nov 1

From FOR: The South Fork American River has been recommended for Wild & Scenic protection by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and we need your help to make sure that really happens. Rafters, kayakers, and others who love the South Fork now have an opportunity to advocate for its protection against long-standing but currently shelved plans to build dams on the river. Federal protection would prohibit new dams, ensure that federal public lands along the river are managed to protect their outstanding values, and require upstream dam owners to operate those dams in a manner that protects river values.

Ways to help: attend the BLM's public meeting on November 1 in Placerville, and write a letter to the BLM advocating for Wild & Scenic protection of the South Fork American River. For more information about the plan and what you can do, see this FOR page on Wild & Scenic Protection for the South Fork American River. The "how to help" section is here.

Flood Protection Plan for Sacramento

From Bruce Thomas:
Roger Dickinson, chairman of SAFCA, has published an article on flood control for Sacramento. It describes a rapid, sensible and affordable program that does not involve building any costly new flood control structures on free-flowing rivers (e.g., Auburn Dam).

Bruce posted information about the plan in his Whitewater Kayaking blog at Flood Protection Plan for Sacramento is on Track.

Bruce also supports Proposition 1E on the November ballot, saying it provides critical funding necessary for the above plan to be accomplished. Read Bruce's Case for Proposition 1E.

No Water Sunday

Chili Bar is too low to provide a boating flow and they don't anticipate anything but minimum flows from SMUD, so there won't be a boating flow today. There is still Ice House!

Saturday Water DEFINITE 1400 from 8-Noon

We will have at least 1400 from at least 8-Noon on Saturday 10-21. Sunday looks promising also. It is very gratifying to see SMUD and PG&E working so well together. Thank you!

Water on Ice House Run of South Silver - Sat-Sun Oct 21-22

From Hilde Schweitzer:

In part due to ongoing negotiations, the Ice House Run of South Silver will have runnable water on it both Sat and Sun Oct 21-22. It will run from 10 am to 1 pm both days. If you do go, please let me know so I can get back to SMUD with the results. Sorry for the late notice but we just got the water today. If you want a bit more information go to Boof.com, go to forums and click on any of the several links to info about the run.

Thanks to SMUD for providing this rec flow. We have a long way to go in
negotiating set flows but this is a big step.

Announcement:

Due to ongoing outages on the UARP, SMUD will be using the valve below Ice House Reservoir for the next several days. Typically the rate of flow will be 250 CFS; however, on Saturday 10/21/06 and Sunday 10/22/06 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm the flow rate below Ice House Reservoir on the South Fork Silver Creek will be 500 CFS. Ramp up and down times will occur before and after the 10:00 to 1:00 time slot.

Note from webmaster: Silver Creek is a tributary of the South Fork of the American River. You can find Silver Creek and Ice House Reservoir on our watershed map. If you make the run and want to report back to Hilde, you can comment on this post or send us a message and we'll forward it to Hilde.

SMUD Update - it doesn't hurt to be vocal

From Theresa L. Simsiman of ROAR! Restore Our American River:

Since Jim Shetler, Assistant General Manager, Energy Supply, at SMUD took it personally upon himself to restore flow last Sunday after Hilde Schweitzer brought to his attention the situation with the whitewater symposium - I took the opportunity to acknowledge his efforts at yesterday's board meeting while Nate Rangel announced that the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce would endorse the Agency/NGO Alternative & Soren Jespersen presented some excellent graphics comparing the natural hydrograph, SMUD's proposal & the alternative.

http://smud.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 (Select October 19th & jump to #8)

Marking the first day in which SMUD & the Agencies/NGO's could officially begin negotiating again - an encouraging sign came in the form of the representative from the Forest Service indicating to Jim a willingness to have productive negotiations.

On the private boating front - after an extensive email dialogue with Hilde, last Saturday's flow fiasco and subsequent email from Mark Davis & other vocal boaters - Jim agreed to meet after the board meeting. In brief it was the most productive contact with SMUD the private boaters have had to date. First they acknowledge our position as a separate & distinct stakeholder of private whitewater recreational users - not just being lumped into the commercial interests as the "rafters". Second, we discussed how to facilitate better communication between the private boaters & SMUD. And irregardless of what may actually go on during the negotiations, Jim expressed a real desire to provide for the private boaters in the interim of an actual license - which in the best case scenario could be at least 2 yrs away. So look for a more coordinated effort communicated by Steve Sorey (key SMUD "gatekeeper") Bill Center & Hilde. Also as an added bonus of direct communication - Hilde was able to get Steve to consider the possibility of Ice House flows for this weekend - we will get the word out today if this is a go. And while we mostly focused on the interim communication - I believe Jim & Steve at least get the concept that ultimately we want a specified flow schedule for the months outside of summer.

I want to close by sending out a thanks to all who contacted SMUD after Saturday's events - it doesn't hurt to be vocal.

PG&E Saving Water Thurs, Fri for Saturday

SMUD told us that because of maintenance at Union Valley Reservoir, flows out of Slab Creek Reservoir will be not enough for boating this weekend. Today they forecast a release of about 500 AF, but then released so much that PG&E generated for several hours. I just phoned PG&E and asked them to hold any more water they get over the next two days to try and fill Chili Bar enough for a Saturday run. They said they would do that - so if SMUD gives them much more than they need to meet minimum aquatic flow (about 400 AF per day) PG&E will make it available for boating on Saturday morning. I should know where we are at on Friday afternoon/evening and will post again then.

Water DEFINITE! on Sunday October 15

Due to a series of e-mails between a local boater and SMUD management, SMUD became very aware of the problem of no water today. I became aware of the e-mails and contacted PG&E, and they said that they were getting water from SMUD as we spoke (@3:00 pm), would end the day full and would do a full boating release starting to ramp up at 6:00 am on Sunday. By the way, I have heard second hand there won't be water next weekend, but haven't heard directly yet so am waiting for that before saying more.

More background on SMUD relicensing

Dan Bacher of The Fish Sniffer wrote an editorial last week: "Fish Groups Say No To SMUD's Hard Line On Relicensing Upper American." In it he detailed the varied concerns from stakeholders including whitewater boaters, conservationists and fisherman. He described the September SMUD Board meeting and notes:

"In some California watersheds, anglers, white water boaters and regulatory agencies have clashed over the timing and extent of pulsed dam releases for whitewater boating....

"In the UARP relicensing, these interests worked together to fashion boating flows that stay largely within the size and shape of the natural hydrograph and minimize impacts to fish, amphibians and aquatic insects. SMUD staff has not recognized the depth and extent of this accord....

"Just about every stakeholder is on the same page except for SMUD. On November 1, 2005, seven resource agencies, and several NGOs and individuals jointly issued a this Comprehensive Resource Agency/NGO Alternative for the UARP relicensing and the connected relicensing of the Chili Bar Project just downstream."

In a follow-up email, Bacher described SMUD's heavy-handed reaction to stakeholders attending the October 6th SMUD Board meeting. "The parking lot entrance and exit was blockaded by a SMUD security truck and a group of security officers were nervously watching the two dozen kayakers, river rafters, anglers, conservationists and Coloma-Lotus area business owners that were milling in the parking lot."

During the meeting, he says, twenty individuals spoke in favor of the Agency/NGO alternative, including "Mark Davis, Mother Lode Chapter, Sierra Club; V. John White, Director At-Large, Environmental Council of Sacramento; Chris Shutes, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance; Howard Penn, Owner, the Sierra Nevada House," and several members of the Coloma-Lotus Chamber of Commerce.

According to Bacher, SMUD is stating a commitment to a negotiated agreement. Expect a meeting, probably October 19th, between SMUD and the Agencies/NGOs. SMUD Board member Genevieve Shiroma asked the river advocates present to help her in bringing the parties together for a planning meeting (not negotiating) meeting before October 19 — and they agreed to help to bring the parties together.

Let SMUD know how you feel

From Theresa L. Simsiman of ROAR! (Restore Our American River):

At the last SMUD Board of Directors meeting General Manager, Jan Schori, gave a report on the water year coming to an end with 158% of normal. Even without her proud announcement we all know there's plenty of water available - yet SMUD does it again - they TURN OFF THE TAP TO WATER THEY DON'T OWN!

As Bill Center pointed out - so much for their water predictions on the SMUD website - as early as Thursday they "predicted" water for this weekend prompting PG&E to release early to make room for the expected water. FINE example of how SMUD will "coordinate" water flow with PG&E for the next 50 years.

If you find yourself making a flurry of calls to notify your boating pals, are putting away the kayak/raft/inflatable for your mountain bike or worst yet find yourself participating in the NATIONAL WHITEWATER SYMPOSIUM in FISH FLOW - be sure to drop a line to the SMUD Board of Directors:

http://smud.org/board/ (See Contact the Board)

See more background from Simsiman, along with action items and people to contact, in this SMUD Relicensing article.

No Water Saturday 10/14

There will be no release today. PG&E's Chili Bar has received almost nothing from SMUD since they spilled on Thursday. Chili Bar went into Friday virtually full, and SMUD had projected a release of over 1000 AF, so PG&E did a 3 hour boating release to create room for the release that never happened. If they had known that they would be receiving almost nothing from SMUD they would have held the water they had for Saturday. This morning SMUD is posting that there will be only 519 AF release into Chili Bar today, which doesn't do much more than keep up with the minimum flow. I won't be surprised if SMUD ends up releasing a lot more this afternoon, like they did on Thursday. But I'm learning that despite all the hoopla that accompanied their posting daily and hourly predictions on their website, the predictions have virtually no value in helping forecast flows. Since all I can do is talk to PG&E, and all they can do is base their releases on what is actually in Chili Bar reservoir, we are back to knowing there is water when it hits the river below the dam. I don't plan on wasting my time doing any long term projections (more than 2 hours out) for the rest of this year. I'm going to concentrate instead on relicensing negotiations.

Water Looks Good Friday, Saturday, probably Sunday

Chili Bar is currently full and spilling, and SMUD projects releasing
at least 1100 AF each of the next three days. If that happens we
should have decent flows on October 13, 14, & 15.

South Fork: Definitely Saturday Water, Sunday looks good too!!

We will have around 1500 cfs from 8-Noon or so at Chili Bar on Saturday. Sunday is very likely - similar flows and timing.

SMUD Relicensing Meeting this Thursday

The future of flows on the South Fork of the American River are in the balance. Interested parties are encouraged to attend SMUD's board meeting this Thursday at 6 p.m. and a press conference at 5:30 p.m. See this article for more information.

South Fork: Oct 7 & 8 Weekend Looks Good

Today's SMUD 8-day update shows they intend to have a minimum release from White Rock on Friday, Saturday and Sunday sufficient to support boating flows. They had a similar forecast last week, yet the flow on Friday was so late and uncertain that PG&E was unable to release on Friday and still be assured of Saturday water. We have no water today (Wednesday) and Thursday is uncertain/unlikely. I wouldn't count on Friday - but assume Saturday and Sunday will be good.

South Fork: Water Both Saturday and Sunday

There will be at least 1300 cfs from at least 9-noon on Saturday and Sunday. SMUD dumped a bunch of water tonight on Chili Bar, causing it to spill. So Chili Bar is full, and in order to have water both weekend days I have asked PG&E to run 1300 cfs from 9-noon on Saturday, which should ensure that there is enough water for a similar flow schedule on Sunday regardless of what SMUD does. So water Saturday and Sunday, on a beautiful Fall weekend. Sorry about Thursday and Friday disappointments. The level of certainty and communication will be much better if we are successful in our relicensing negotiations. Stay tuned.

South Fork: Water flows for Fri, Sat, Sun 9-29, 20 and 10-1

Despit SMUD's prediction of flows for the weekend, there will be NO water today, Friday, for recreational flows. There WILL BE at least 3 hours of 1300 CFS or so on Saturday, probably from 9 to noon. And, unless SMUD changes its plans, there will be no water on Sunday.

South Fork: Thursday 9/28 Pretty Iffy

As of 9:00 pm Chili Bar Reservoir is low and SMUD is holding released water from upstream in Slab Creek. Unless there is a pretty decent release through White Rock in the next 12 hours there will be no boating release on Thursday, or it will be little and/or late.

South Fork: Friday, Saturday, Sunday should be good

SMUD's most recent 8 day forecast shows a minimum daily AF release from Slab Creek Reservoir into Chili Bar Reservoir of 1078 AF, which is plenty for a good boating flow, for Friday 9/29 through Sunday 10/1. I don't know why, but if it holds (and there are no guarantees - just a projection) we should have good water this weekend, even though weather is cooling down a bit in the valley. I haven't heard anything about Thursday but will try to find out this afternoon/evening.