Salmon River Whitewater Release Cancelled Due To Low Water Levels

by Contributor | July 31, 2020 12:14 pm

By Michael Johnson

PULASKI, NY – The Salmon River whitewater release scheduled for Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 has been cancelled due to low water levels on the Upper Salmon River Reservoir and persistent drought conditions.

Brookfield Renewables, the entity that operates the Lighthouse Hill Generating Station and oversees the water levels in the Upper and Lower Salmon River Reservoirs made this announcement on their website Tuesday, August 28. The area encompassing the Salmon River watershed is currently listed[1] as being under abnormal dry conditions by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

This news comes as a disappointment to whitewater paddling enthusiasts, many of whom look forward to these releases as an opportunity to enjoy some great river running close to home. Paddlers frequently put in what is known as the compactor pool, adjacent to the Oswego County Transfer Station on County Route 2a, just upstream from the Village of Pulaski.

From this launching spot, it is only a short ride to some of the best waves and rapids the Salmon has to offer. This almost 4 mile long section of the river offers Class 1-4 rapids, as rated by American Whitewater. Riverfacts.com After floating a short section of smooth water and getting a feel for the river and their craft, challenging sections such as “Fireman’s Field,””Washing Machine,” “Titanic,” and several others follow in rapid succession.

The warm waters of summer are an added attraction, allowing paddlers to leave wetsuits and other cold water gear at home.

White water has a storied history on the Salmon River. Before the advent of modern kayaks and rafts, the river saw use as a watery logging trail, with timber cut from the hardwood rich forests of Tug Hill floating down to the mouth at Selkirk, where it would then be loaded onto waiting schooners for transport to market.

In later decades,  local youngsters made a practice of floating down through the Village on inner tubes,walking back upstream over and over to ride the biggest waves several times in a day. During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s as many as three rafting companies operated out of Pulaski, with regularly scheduled trips down the river as long as the water was warm enough to tolerate.

Hundreds of  Central New Yorkers would run the rapids in the annual White Water tube race, a fundraising event sponsored for many years by Pulaski’s Ringgold Fire Department.

“You will usually see a big crowd at the launch on these release days,” said Tom Byrne, an avid whitewater paddler and Syracuse resident.

The planned release was to be gauged at 750 c.f.s., or cubic feet per second.

“A release of a little more than that creates a better cushion of water under boats and rafts, which reduces the chance of hitting the bottom,” Byrne said.

In a year without the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic, paddlers would head North to the Ottawa River for reliable summer whitewater, but travel to Canada for other than essential reasons is prohibited.

Those who know the river also know that the amount of water available for recreational releases is under the control of nature. For now, any paddling on the Salmon River will have to wait until the area receives substantial rain.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/salmon-river-whitewater-release-cancelled-due-to-low-water-levels/

---