John Day Navigability at Stake, OR

Oregon's Department of State Lands is seeking your comments on the draft navigability study report for the John Day.  Comments are due September 3, 2004. Your comments will be incorporated in a revised report, which will be completed in mid-October.

American Whitewater has been a long-time supporter of navigability on the John Day, which is one of the state's most popular fishing and floating runs. The study was requested by the John Day River Chapter of the Northwest Steelheaders in 1997 and was endorsed by American Whitewater.  Since that time, various government agencies, legislators, river users, and landowners have attempted to find a solution to problems attendant with public use that would avoid a formal navigabiity determination. These activities were not successful. In the meantime, the Marion County Circuit Court determined in March 2002 that the waterway is navigable from McDonald Ferry (River Mile 18) to Burnt Ranch (River Mile 135).

The draft report is available at www.oregonstatelands.us and Oregon Department of State Lands, 775 Summer Street NE Ste. 100, Salem, OR 97301, telephone 503-378-3805.

More information from AW at: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/archive/article/1013/

Photos by Kent Johnson, links: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=91 and http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=2134.