Flows and Recretion: A guide to studies for river professionals

• Date: 10/1/2005
• Author: Doug whittaker, Bo Shelby & John Gangemi
• Title: Flows and Recreation - A guide to studies for river professionals
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

On -Water Boating Feasibility Assessment
Objective
Assess the feasibility and potential quality
of boating opportunities and estimate flow
ranges by boating the river at a single flow.
Typical approach
Similar to an on -land boating assessment,
experienced boaters usually participate
in the reconnaissance, and an evaluation
form may be developed to quantify
findings. The difference is that the
reconnaissance includes boating on the
reach. Focus group discussion after
the run is used to summarize opinions
about the feasibility of boating, types of
opportunities, possible flow ranges, and
potential project effects.
Product
Summary of reconnaissance effort and
findings. List of participants, evaluation
results, and discussion notes may be
provided in appendices.
Responsibilities
As with on -land boating assessments,
utilities (or their consultants) have
primary responsibility, but agencies and
stakeholders commonly participate in
fieldwork and review the evaluation form.
Recreation groups can provide valuable
assistance rounding up participants.
Additional issues
As with on -land boating assessments,
composition of the participants is critical
and may be improved with stakeholder
and agency review.
Safety and liability issues may be
important, particularly on reaches that
have had little or no previous boating use,
or have more challenging whitewater (see
sidebar on safety and liability).
On -water boating assessments may be a
planned interim step when a controlled
flow study is planned; when this occurs,
fewer participants and a professional
judgment -level analysis rather than
formalized evaluations may be sufficient
and minimize costs. The feasibility
assessment may lay groundwork or
provide valuable logistical information for
later in -depth studies.
Cautions & limitations
On -water boating feasibility assessments
at a single flow may demonstrate whether
boating is possible, but they are unlikely
to provide precise estimates of flow ranges
for boating (unless the range is narrow
and reconnaissance fortuitously occurred
within that range).
An on -water boating study on the Lower Carmen By-
pass Reach on Oregon's McKenzie River was conducted
at 330 cfs. Kayakers successfully boated the reach, but
the short run had difficult access, many log portages,
and less - interesting- than - expected whitewater. Ad-
ditional boating studies were not recommended.
16 I Flows and Recreation:
A Guide for River Professionals