River guides gear up to raft El Niño

Great rafting expected, thanks to El Niño

April 3, 1998
Web posted at: 4:59 p.m. EST (2159 GMT)

By Environmental News Network staff

River guides throughout the Western states are preparing now for what promises to be one of the most memorable river rafting seasons in recent years, thanks to El Niño.

Intensive guide training sessions for seasoned guides and for first-year recruits are scheduled throughout April for many outfitters as the industry prepares for California's official Opening Day of Rafting, slated for May 2.

"We've seen high water many times before, but our guides are really looking forward to what this season will bring," said Jim Ritter, president and guide training director for Outdoor Adventures, an outfitter.

"The snowmelt is the key. If we experience a heat wave causing the snow to melt fast, conditions may by unraftable in the early season on rivers that aren't dam-controlled. A gradual, even snowmelt will make for ideal conditions: challenging high water in the spring, great summer rafting and an unusually long season -- we'll be running many rivers into the fall months."

According to a report released this month by the state's Department of Water Resources, forecasts for unimpaired snowmelt runoff (streamflows) for the period of April through July are well over 100 percent of normal on all California rivers.

Popular rafting destinations, to name a few, include the Kern River in Southern California (forecasted at 199 percent of normal) and the American River (149 percent of normal) and the Tuolumne River (155 percent of normal) in Northern California.

Copyright 1998, Environmental News Network, All Rights Reserved

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Related sites:

• Outdoor Adventures
  
• ENN El Niño Special Report
  

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