Take Action: OR Rivers Considered for Scenic Waterway Protection
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (ORPD) wants to hear from you about whether three
Oregon rivers should be protected as State Scenic Waterways. Sections of the Molalla, Chetco and
Grand Ronde, all of which are well known and loved by Pacific Northwest paddlers, are up for
consideration. The agency will make their determination based on public feedback, and
American Whitewater encourages you to weigh in by
taking a survey or by sending an e-mail to the ORPD by
October 15th, 2014. All of these rivers are important to the whitewater paddling community and we
encourage you to weigh in and provide your personal perspective on the recreational and other
values of these rivers.
The people of Oregon voted to establish the State Scenic Waterway program in 1970 in order to
balance the impacts of dams. The program proclaims that the highest and best uses of the waters
within State Scenic Waterways are recreation, fish and wildlife uses, and a designation protects
the outstanding scenic, fish, wildlife, geological, botanical, historic, archaeologic, and
outdoor recreation values of a river for current and future generations. Similar to federal Wild
and Scenic protection, a State Scenic Waterway designation keeps a river freely-flowing by
prohibiting dam construction. Those seeking to engage in certain activities, such as mining or
logging, within a State Scenic Waterway corridor need to receive permission from the agency.
ORPD is considering the following segments for State Scenic Waterway status:
Molalla River: From the confluence with Table Rock Fork to the Glen Avon Bridge
near the town of Molalla. This includes the 3 Bears Run. We are recommending that the Table Rock
Fork and Copper Creek Fork also be added. Take
the Molla survey.
Chetco River: From Steel Bridge in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest to
Loeb State Park. The segment considered for state designation includes the Chetco Gorge and is
largely congruous with the federal Wild and Scenic designation. Take the Chetco survey.
Grande Ronde: From the confluence with Sheep Creek to Hilgard Junction State
Park near La Grande. This segment upstream of La Grande is not as popular for whitewater (the
standard multi-day whitewater trip is downstream of La Grande), but protecting the headwaters is
very important for the health of the river. Take
the Grande Ronde survey.
Today, State Scenic Waterway program protects less than 1% of the state's waterways.
Public surveys and comments are a critical part of whether segments of the Molalla, Chetco and
Grande Ronde will be added to the State Scenic Waterways system. Please do your part
and take these quick surveys by October 15th to share your thoughts with the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department!
Check out more information about the
2014 Assessments of the Molalla, Chetco and Grande Ronde, and general information about the
ORPD's State Scenic Waterway
program.