River Jet Boat

River danger spurs closure of stretch

High, fast water in the Willamette River has made passage under the Interstate 5 bridge so dangerous that the state Marine Board on Friday ordered that section of the river closed for the rest of the summer.

A wet, cool spring that prolonged snowmelt in the mountains has kept the river flowing faster than usual, said Springfield Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Walker. Couple that with the bridge construction project that placed many temporary pilings where lots of debris gets hung up, and it’s a recipe for disaster, not only for inexperienced boaters but even for those who know the river.

The Marine Board agreed to close the section of the river from the old low-head concrete dam upstream of the bridge to downstream of the construction work, at the request of Lane County sheriff’s search and rescue and both the Eugene and Springfield fire departments, which each have their own jet boats and respond to river mishaps.

After floating that section of the river on Thursday, Marine Board Director Scott Brewen agreed to close it down.

Upstream signs will be posted alerting people to pull out at the D Street boat ramp, Brewen said.

“A lot of fishermen and drift boats already pull out at D Street,” he said. “What we’re concerned about is people who don’t know the conditions of the river.”

That stretch of the Willamette is popular with boaters, who venture down it in everything from inner tubes to small, flimsy inflatable rafts.

It takes familiarity and skill to maneuver a boat past the old concrete dam just upstream of the construction site and then move quickly to the center of the river and through the navigation channel under the bridge, which is almost 40 feet wide and kept clear of debris.

While boaters can opt to pass outside of the navigation channel, it’s more dangerous because of all the branches, logs and other debris hung up on the many pilings holding up the construction deck below the bridge, which is a staging area for construction crews.

Rescuers last month had to come to the aid of a drift boater who got jammed up at one of the pilings, Brewen said.

Then on Sunday, Eugene firefighters were back again to rescue a boater after his small, department-store-style inflatable raft got trapped in the fast-moving current and threw him up against a bridge piling where he had to hang on for about 20 minutes in chilly water, Walker said.

Black Bear spotted on our Wild River Jet Boat Tour in Hells Canyon ...

Check out this great picture of a black bear taken on our Wild River Jet Boat Tour in Hells Canyon.  The sun is shining and the wildlife are starting to move around.  Our Wild River Tour takes you through all the Wilderness/Wild River area and through all the most exciting rapids.  You will visit a historic museum at Kirkwood Ranch, visit a historical cabin at Sheep Creek Ranch, and eat lunch at the Hells Canyon Dam & Visitors Center.  This is a great time of year to be on the Snake River and see the deepest, most rugged part of Hells Canyon Idaho.  You may also see some Big Horn Sheep and Bald Eagles along the river.  You don’t want to miss this great adventure! Bring your friends and family and enjoy a day on the river with Killgore Adventures!

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