Action Alert for the Trout Creek/Wind River drainage in Washington! Only 2 Days to respond!
Thank you to Kristi Burch Reynier for writing this notice in the local forum:
“The White Salmon newspaper ran an article about a Forest Service proposed plan to restore steelhead habitat in Trout Creek, a Wind tributary. The plan appears to include putting a hundred or more logs above the old Hemlock Dam, and a mile or so upriver to the PCT trail, the takeout for Upper Trout. The plan details were not clear, but this often involves the use of cables to secure the trees and other artificial means.
I am waiting on the details, but the comment period apparently ends 1/19. This wood will migrate into the popular Trout Creek/Wind combo.
I sent a comment on the recreational use and the hazards of trees for kayakers. Habitat restoration is very important, but the FS often underestimates how maximum flood flows and gradient can destroy projects and migrate wood. From the article it did not appear that these issues were on their radar. The FS requested comment.”
Comment here: bnzapata@fs.fed.us
Here is a letter that you can copy and paste if you don't want to write your own:
Subject: Oppose Upper Trout Creek Log Hazards to Recreation
Body: To Whom it May Concern,
The proposal to fasten logs into Upper Trout Creek would take away significant recreational opportunities and put the lives of rafters and kayakers who use the river in danger. The area where the logs are to be placed is a world-class class V whitewater attraction. The wood habitat projects have a long history of being dislodged at high water, almost certainly floating logs downstream to lodge into even more popular raft and kayak runs like lower Trout Creek and the Wind River. Aside from taking away the Upper Trout Creek stretch from the whitewater community, the logs could pose a danger to many more river runners who row and paddle stretches further downstream.
Boaters who come to the area for these recreational opportunities spend money in the local community through purchases of food, beverages, and gasoline in the region. Often, rural communities with struggling economies are the ones to benefit from the infusion of business from the whitewater community. The annual Upper Wind Festival is an example of the tourism that can be generated from the river. Each year, hundreds of spectators and contestants race rafts, kayaks, and catarafts down the Upper Wind River.
The major rapids of the Upper Wind River are downstream of Trout Creek, so any wood dislodged in that drainage will surely deposit downstream. These logs in the stream are demonstrated to be deadly, there have been two fatalities in the past two years due to wood on the neighboring White Salmon River.
Please preserve the recreational treasures of the Trout/Wind drainages and protect the lives of the people who visit these spectacular rivers. Some links are provided below of the Upper Wind Race and Upper Trout Creek rafting.
Sincerely, Your name here
EDITOR’S NOTE: Please help by not only sending in an email but also sharing this article to Facebook and other social media. We need all the help we can get!
The photos are of Christine and her boyfriend, DBP Admin Greg Babikoff, sending a drop in the PNW, and shots of Greg from the Wind River.
Some great whitewater footy from the area to be affected.
Wind River Race
Upper Trout Creek
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