Why are there whitewater releases on the Rock Creek and Cresta Sections?
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission required PG&E to relicense these hydropower projects. Relicensing requires the utility to mitigate for impacts to fisheries, wildlife and recreation. Under the old license, the hydro project greatly reduced if not completely eliminated whitewater opportunities on these reaches. Who pushed for restoring whitewater flows on the Feather in the relicense process? American Whitewater, Shasta Paddlers and Chico Paddleheads. Initially these groups were told by numerous entities not to fight for whitewater releases on the North Fork Feather. In their words there was not room for whitewater recreation physically in the canyon and the project could not afford the lost power generation. The whitewater groups ignored these comments instead choosing to fight for what they thought was fair and equitable mitigation. What is the annual whitewater release schedule? In years 1 through 3 there is a whitewater release one weekend each month (Saturday – Cresta, Sund
