Wild and Scenic: South Fork American River

Over the years MaLode has supported Wild and Scenic Status for several different California Rivers including the Tuolumne, Merced,etc. These efforts have succeeded in part because of the letters written by MaLode participants. For instance, the Tuolumne River Wild and Scenic campaign coordinated by Friends of the River produced 10,000 letters total. In spite of the fact that we don’t run the “T”, 5,000 of these letters were written by MaLode participants.

Last season a very special thing happened. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) completed a study on our home river, the South Fork of the American, and found it suitable for protection under the “Recreational” classification of Wild and Scenic. There are three different classifications: Wild, Scenic, and Recreational. A river need not be a “wilderness” river to be protected under Wild and Scenic.

As the most popular whitewater river in the West, one would think the South Fork is a “Recreational” category slam-dunk. One problem has been that some Federal Agency must own a specified percentage of the land along the river. Fortunately, acquisitions of land along the South Fork by the BLM have been occurring through the American River Conservancy over the past 16 years and have finally made this possible.

The BLM asked for public comment on its Wild and Scenic proposal. The initial comment period ended December 13, 2006 with over 2000 letters received. This is the largest number ever received by the BLM on such a proposal. Of these, three (3) were against Wild and Scenic and the rest (1997) supported it. Done deal? Not quite. The rubber now meets the road and local opposition is expected. This opposition is largely from landowners who mistakenly think their private property rights might be affected. This is not true. What it will do is prevent dams or diversions that interfere with recreation. Everything else is unaffected.

How likely is it that the river could be dammed? Unfortunately, the South Fork currently has no protection from dams or diversions. In 1974 when I started boating on the river, the South Fork had two proposed dams which had been approved and were seeking funding. One would have been at Salmon Falls and would have destroyed the Gorge Run. The other was above Troublemaker Rapid and would have destroyed the Chili Bar Run. We defeated those dams. However, these or other proposals could come back without permanent protection.

Given this situation, MaLode will be supporting Wild and Scenic designation for the South Fork in every way we can. Stay tuned and remember to ask your guide for an update!

Alternative Proposal wins on South Fork American River

As many of you no doubt recall, during the 2006 season you were asked to write letters to the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). The purpose was to urge the acceptance of the “Alternative Proposal” for the re-licensing of SMUD’s Upper American River Project (UARP) hydroelectric facilities on the South Fork of the American River. This proposal provided for ecological restoration in areas historically de-watered by the UARP and, for the first time, a predictable water flow regimen for recreational and whitewater boating below Chili Bar Dam.

Your response was awesome! Over 1000 letters resulted. These were hand written, and since pollsters say one hand written letter is the equivalent of 100 typed or e-mailed letters, and represents the opinion of over a thousand people who don’t bother to write, it said a lot! Some letters were illustrated with pictures of fish and critters that were very cool. All reflected the passion we share about rivers. The MaLode guides were awesome too. They were virtually the only commercial company’s guides there, and definitely the only ones to attend more than one meeting. They spoke eloquently and personally read some of your letters to the Board of Directors of SMUD.

The Board listened and heard what you asked. The negotiations, which were going badly, turned around after the Board appointed an oversight committee that helped get things back on track. Bottom line, the river won! The Alternative Proposal was the basis of the final agreement and more water will flow for fish, wildlife, recreational boating and other uses. We should all be proud of this achievement. It probably wouldn’t have happened without your help. Thank you from the fish, frogs, deer, macro-invertebrates and other critters whose homes you helped enhance. Now come enjoy the recreational boating flows that are mandated for the next fifty (50) years! Who says democracy can’t work?

Spring Boating on the American River

Let’s Go Boating!

As winter turns to spring the reasons to go boating just keep increasing! One of my favorite reasons is all the green everywhere. On the North Fork of the American brilliant yellow poppies punctuate the intense green of the hills, and waterfalls tumble carelessly down the steep canyon walls. The Chili Bar run on the South Fork of the American is also famous for its poppy explosion. Drier years are particularly spectacular as they favor poppies over the beautiful purple lupine that share the slopes but predominate in wet years. Either way, April and May are the months to catch wildflowers!

When June rolls around the Middle Fork of the American has special appeal. Last season, in June, I saw a mountain lion cub dash back from the river’s edge and disappear into the brush. I wasn’t sure what it was until I replayed the image in my mind and realized nothing else disappears leaving a tail that long as its mental calling card. It was like a flourish at the end of ones signature.

Once the season gets going, there is just no wilderness river that lasts as long or offers more appeal than the Middle Fork. All the way through September one can enjoy plunging down the Tunnel Chute and disappearing in the foamy whitewater catcher’s mitt at the bottom of the rapid, then float serenely through the Tunnel to the other side of the mountain. Wow! I love to spend two days and camp overnight so I can smell breakfast cooking on an open fire in the morning. The native Brown Trout are huge, and I just bet I could meet one I released years ago to check out how it has grown.

Once again I’ve got myself all excited to enjoy another season of river running. Will I ever get tired of it? I don’t know, have I got a pulse?

Chamberlain Falls, North Fork American River

Adventurous paddlers in Northern California
click here for more North Fork American Spring Rafting info