4. Ponderosa Way to Electra Picnic area

When this section has water, it makes a great addition to the Electra Run downstream, though with several class 3 rapids.  The biggest rapid is the very first one.  Because of the lack of regular high flows, trees and brush grow thick along the bank and sometimes out into the river bed.  At 1,500 cfs the river flows through trees on the side in many locations. PG&E diverts most of the flow around this section so it will seldom have boatable flows.   Spring in wet years is the best time to check this section out.   There is also one weekend day per year of scheduled release for whitewater recreation in June of non spill years. Other Information Sources: Charles Martin describes this run in his 1974 guidebook, Sierra Whitewater.    He says the run is a good class 3. Relicensing info Foothill Conservancy FERC information: The entire upper Mokelumne Watershed PG&E hydroelectric system is under a single FERC license, number P-137       A new license was issued on October 11, 2001 and will expire in 30 years from that date. Text of whitewater boating monitoring plan. During Below Normal, Above Normal, and Wet water years, the stated fows of at least 900 cfs (700 cfs in BN years) will be released beginning two weeks prior to Memorial Day weekend and ending June 15 and prior to the start of spill at Salt Springs Reservoir Dam. The Ponderosa Way whitewater boating put-in will only have releases scheduled for one weekend day between 10 AM and 2 PM (see Attachment B: Condition 28). The River Rangers will conduct the surveys each day the flows are released. During Dry and Critically Dry years, flows will be released according to the Below Normal year requirernents (700 cfs) if the Ecological Resource Committee (ERC) and the FS determine that there would be no negative environmental impacts resulting from the continued flows (see Attachment C: Condition 29).