Bureau of Land Management re-opens Rogue River to boating as conditions allow
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Merlin, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management, Grants Pass Field Office, in coordination with the Northwest Incident Management Team 13, has decided to re-open the Lower Section of the Wild and Scenic Rogue River at Grave Creek to permit holders. The river will remain open unless life safety becomes an issue. This will be assessed daily by the incident management team based on fire activity and predicted weather. The Rainie Falls Trail and Rogue River Trail will remain closed from Grave Creek to Russian Creek.
Updates on the daily river status will be posted at 6am on the incident Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rumcreekfire2022
Permit holders must obtain their permit at the BLM’s Smullin Visitor Center between 7:00 A.M. and 9:30 A.M. No exceptions. All boats must be launched from Grave Creek boat ramp or pass by Grave Creek by 10:00 A.M. and headed down river. The objective is to get all boats through the fire area by 12:00 P.M. due to increased fire activity and helicopter use of the river.
River users will not be allowed to exit the river on river left at all from Grave Creek to Russian Creek, and are asked to not stop until Russian Creek, just below Wildcat Rapids. A river ranger in a boat will be posted on the river, as well as a dip site manager being posted on shore above Rainie Falls, to help serve as traffic control as needed, as helicopters come into the dip site at that location. Additional information about safety measures will be distributed to permit holders when they pick up their permit.
If a permittee is not able to go on the river on their permitted date as a result of the fire, travel or other circumstances surrounding the fire, the BLM will honor the permit at a later date that can be arranged with the permittee, if so desired by the permittee. Please contact the Smullin Visitor Center 541-479-3735.
Today, the BLM and Northwest Incident Management Team 13 met with river users to develop this path forward.
“I’m thankful for the coordination and support from the river community,” said Bill Dean, Grants Pass Field Manager. “With their input and commitment to safety, we feel comfortable approaching the river status on a daily basis.”
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.