This challanging reach is usually dewatered by the combination of New Bullards Bar Dam and the New Colgate Powerhouse.
Note: this reach is NOT contiguous with the prior three sections of N.Fk.Yuba described within the AW river pages.
Put-in: Bullards Bar Dam is about 40 miles from Yuba City, Marysville. As of 2008, Yuba County Water Agency is claiming that boaters are not allowed to hike down the gated road to access the river near the base of the dam. We believe the current license requires YCWA to provide access. AW is asking FERC for clarification on this issue.
Take out: Colgate Powerhouse provides the most convenient take out option. It is 11 miles from the dam and there is paved road the whole way.
Other Information Sources:
2008 trip report at Jackson Kayaks, by Stephen Wright (Nov 2008)
A GUIDE TO THE BEST WHITEWATER IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, HOLBEK & STANLEY, 1988
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FERC information:
The powerhouse that dewaters this reach is subject to federal licensing by FERC. The license is #2246, which expires in 2013. The relicensing process takes many years, so boating studies for this reach are taking place as of 2008.
American Whitewater is in the midst of participating in the Yuba River Development Project FERC #2246 relicensing which is working on a boating flow study for 2014. This year (2014) the licensee, Yuba County Water Agency, is collecting information for the reach from Highway 49 to Englebright Reservoir and the recent downpour from the river gods has given us the perfect opportunity to get the information needed. So putting the call out for folks to get on this Class V reach and give us your feedback:
Boater Evaluation Form Process
Information from the boater evaluation forms will help YCWA identify a flow preference curve for whitewater boating, which will identify minimum acceptable and optimum flows. The data collection requires 3 key steps: Step 1 - Boaters run a reach at a min. of 2 flows in the target range (3 flows preferred) for a craft. Step 2 - Following each run at a different flow, the boater will complete a 1-page, Post-Run Evaluation Form – either a hard copy version as distributed by AW or online (see link below). And, Step 3, once a boater has run a reach a min. of 2 flows in the target range for a craft type (3 flows preferred), then the boater will need to complete a final Comparative Evaluation Form that identifies the minimum acceptable flow and optimal flow range for the reach (hard copy or online). Note: the online link to the Comparative Evaluation Form will be provided once a boater has completed a min. of 2 flows.
Link to Online Evaluation Form:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HKV6TX9
Please review the flow level before and after each run to determine what the actual flow was that you boated before submitting the survey, if possible. At the very least, be sure to accurately record the date and times of your trip so that flows may be determined using the flow history. Please take photos and upload them to the
AW photo database.
Study Contacts
Dave Steindorf (American Whitewater): E:
dave@americanwhitewater.org / P: (530) 518-2729
Rorie Gotham (Local Boater/Boating Team Coordinator):
skyranch1@sbcglobal.net
Kevin McCombe (Tahoe National Forest): E:
kmccombe@fs.fed.us / P: (530) 478-6150
Matt Paquette (HDR, YCWA’s consultant): E:
mpaquette@hdrinc.com / P: (530) 587-3682
YCWA does not give permission for public to access the bottom of New Bullards Bar Dam on the YCWA access road. This is a gated, private roadway. YCWA further warns anyone on or around the river to take caution with regard to health and safety. River flows may change suddenly and without warning.