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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 7, 2005 A rafting group slides over a diversion dam where a Gold Hill man slipped and became trapped underwater by the abnormal flow of water over the structure. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Changes to the Rogue River flow rates elevate user risks By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune GOLD HILL — Temporary construction dams in the Rogue River are creating life-threatening flow conditions — particularly for the unwary or inexperienced, experts say. Two large arcs made from 3,000 square yards of rock now jut out into the river above the city’s diversion dam (used to help collect municipal water) and are creating unique river flow conditions — the river is running faster and with more force. They’re making the area’s popular water playground considerably more treacherous — deadly for one man — this summer, said Rod Edwards, a battalion chief for Jackson County Fire District No. 3. "There’s no uncertainty about it," Edwards said. "(The cofferdams) certainly make things riskier there in places." The cofferdams were built to create a dry construction site for the city’s new $1 million municipal water intake system, said Ed Hodges of Lee-Pace Engineering. Above the city’s diversion dam — about two miles north of Gold Hill city limits — construction crews built first one, and then a second stabilizing dam. "But it’s only temporary," Hodges stressed. Advertisement The cofferdams stretch about one-third the river’s width, said Bart Baldwin of Noah’s River Adventures. "That’s a big area, and a lot of water is affected," said Baldwin, a rafting guide for nine years. The cofferdams have changed conditions on both sides of the river, said civil engineer and kayaker Joe Stahl. He said it boils down to hydraulics. "Flow equals area times velocity," said Stahl. "If you cut down an area’s channel width, you have an automatic increase in velocity — even though the flow remains the same. The water is probably a little bit higher, but it’s certainly a lot faster because you’ve reduced the area available." Baldwin and experienced guides from other rafting companies say they’ve run into into trouble with the change in flow. The temporary dams force more water downstream over the ramped section of the diversion dam and less on the other side, hanging up rafters, said Baldwin — the rafting company’s operations manager and whitewater rescue instructor. On one side of the river, depleted flow is causing rafts to hang-up, he said. On the other, increased flow is mimicking winter conditions. "What may be an actual flow rate typical for mid-summer is running more like it would in winter," said Baldwin, 31. The flow change has resulted in a larger, wider — and more dangerous — "washing-machine effect" at the base of the diversion dam. "We call it the ‘boil line,’ " Baldwin said. "It catches you and spins and spins. The water is bouncing off the bottom, comes up, then it rolls back against the dam, and it just continues." When people fall in, they instinctively try to save themselves by swimming up to the surface and out of the backwash. But that doesn’t work, he said. "The action of the water won’t let you," said Baldwin. Steve Kiesling said that is what happened to his tenant and friend, David Josh, a 45-year-old man who drowned after unsuccessfully attempting to walk across the dam July 2. "I’m sure that’s why Dave died," said Kiesling. Josh’s body was recovered six days after he went under — and only because his body somehow kicked out of the "boil line" and floated downstream. Kiesling owns property adjacent to the diversion dam. The former world-class kayaker and owner of a local inner-tubing business said he and Josh had successfully led family members out over the diversion dam many times. But that was before the cofferdams, said Kiesling. He realized something was very different the last time he tried to walk out on the dam. "I started walking out just a little bit and thought, ‘Why is this water feeling so aggressive?’ I got off there," said Kiesling. Hodges, of Lee-Pace Engineering, said creating a dry site for the city’s water intake project has been challenging. "We are dealing with a difficult situation," said Hodges. "The speed of the current was higher than anticipated and it’s been difficult to create a dry area to work in." Work was shut down on July 21 by the Department of State Lands after construction crews released plumes of muddy water into the river. Bob Lobdell, natural resource coordinator for DSL said that, in addition to the water quality violations, the amount of material used to create the dams violated the project’s permit. After several meetings, crews were allowed to resume work Tuesday. State fines are pending, Hodges said. Both temporary dams will be removed by mid-September at the latest, he said. "If they cannot de-water the (work) area within a week, then DSL will stop the project and Johnny Cat (Construction of Medford) will remove both cofferdams," Hodges said. "If it works, then they will immediately start to remove the outer dam. The inner dam will remain until mid-September." The area’s dams and rapids make it prone to mishaps even under normal circumstances, said Edwards. But this summer, even experienced crews are struggling with the river’s increased force and turbulence, he said. A rescue raft ran into trouble while searching for Josh, Edwards said. The boat was sucked toward the dam and quickly began to fill with water, he said. "He was sideways," said Edwards, "pinned up against the face of the dam. We had one of our highly skilled personnel at the oars, and he had difficulty." Only the oarsman’s years of experience and strength prevented the raft from flipping and dumping the crew into the deadly backwash, he said. "It could have ended up that we had to rescue that crew," said Edwards. Stahl, 57, said there are inherent dangers with all watersports. He underwent surgery on Wednesday for a fractured wrist from kayaking on the Upper Rogue two days prior. But, under present conditions, the hydraulics are especially formidable at the dam and at the popular class-IV Powerhouse Rapids, he said. "I don’t think it’s a safe place for just anybody to go," said Stahl. Baldwin agrees. "This looks like such a calm section of river, until it’s too late," said Baldwin. "I’m afraid for the person who’s thinking, ‘It’s really pretty here. I’m gonna take my inner-tube up.’ It’s not an inner-tube type of situation. No way." Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail Changes to the Rogue River flow rates elevate user risks ">[email protected] . 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