[White-water] Metolius follow-up

[Megi Morishita]

My last trip report stands to be corrected.  In addition to 14 eagle sitings, there was apparently
a black bear right at water's edge, a coyote, LOTS of dear, and a tom turkey!!  :-)

Also, several people have asked regarding the responsiveness of the USFS to discussion.  I guess
my personal impression was that we were getting the party line (that the trees would be put-in in
coordination with the building of fish passage around the dams at the time of dam relicensing and
that this was a great opportunity, and that the necessity for 700 trees was substantiated by
scientific study that suggests that it would take 200 years to catch up to the amount of tree-fall
if allowed to happen naturally).  They are not planning on putting more wood in the run that we
did except for above Candle (?is that the name of the big rapid?) -- not convinced that none of
that wood wouldn't migrate downstream though they claim they will be digging them into the ground
to prevent migration.  I have to say that, after my float down the river on Saturday, I saw so
much natural wood fallen on the sides of the banks creating hundreds and hundreds of lateral
pools, and I really don't understand the further benefit of using tax dollars and scarce resources
to pull more trees down unnaturally and with the risk of creating further erosion and hazards. 
The response I received was that they were welcoming public input so we should write to the USFS. 


On another serious note, we did have a swimmer go under the log at the bottom of the rapid.  It
was very scary to watch.  Pat Welch said that, in addition to the log that was clearly visible
above water, there was a branch forked underwater with protruding branches that would have created
a fatal strainer situation.  Russ Pascoe also stated he gave anyone a 50/50 chance of surviving a
swim there.  I don't believe the swimmer recognized the gravity of the situation that he was in. 
I can only emphasize that we all need to follow instructions, follow paddle signals, catch eddies,
and treat strainers (and other hazards) with respect.  For anyone who has not experienced the
force of water against a strainer, I strongly encourage taking a swift-water course given by one
of the local clubs or local dealers.  Until I felt the force of water, I did not truly appreciate
the significance of a strainer even in relative non-pushy class II water.  This particular
strainer on the Metolius is easily visible with eddies upstream, but it is at the bottom of a
significant rapid and has class V consequences.  Please be careful.  

OK, enough until next year's Metolius trip....  :-)

Megi Morishita
2879 Riverwalk Loop
Eugene, OR 97401
(520)975-5244
meggy_morishita at yahoo.com

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