Boise Gets New Whitewater

[phlyingfish]

Construction on Boise’s Ray Neef, MD River Recreation Park began today! In a few months time (barring unexpected high water) Boise will have a year-round, adjustable whitewater feature just a few blocks from downtown. How cool is that?


The park is being built at the former location of the 36th Street Wave. Although 36th was an awesome feature for advanced paddlers when the water was high (>4,000 cfs), it had a weird angle and nasty hydraulic that scared or trundled many intermediates and beginners. Furthermore, 36th only came in during high water years and was formed by a decaying irrigation diversion with exposed rebar. The new park will replace that old diversion with a much safer diversion structure. And it will have a feature even at low flows and will likely be accessible to all levels of paddlers thanks to its adjustable design. Super stoked to have a new place to paddle right in town!


A second phase is also planned but currently unfunded. If sufficient funds are raised (and the permitting goes to plan), the second phase will expand the park downstream, adding more new features. The exact number of new features depends on funding. So, we need to keep the momentum going.


For more information, or to donate to the cause follow this link:
Ray Neef, MD River Recreation Park

[ID Surfer]

Stopped by to take a look at this thing today. Holy Crap! I'm no expert on whitewater parks but this looks to be maybe one of the most technologically advanced WWP's on the planet. Two wave shapers. One on river right that is 15ish feet wide and will be able to have all the current diverted into at low flows (ie250) and a center one that is 30 ft wide that will serve as another wave option durring higher flows. Both are adjustable features to accommodate (and dial in) potentially perfect conditions for most flows. From what Walt (project manager) said the one on the right is more adjustable and will be able to create a huge feature. Just from what I saw there is some massive construction going on. Hope to see lots of visitors up here next year! And if surfin' gets old we'll just head up the road and do a little NFKN'!

[ehukai]

I am so excited for this I'm glad after so many years it's finally happening. This means I'm going to have to go to boise more often now

[Smurfwarrior]

Such cool news!

[Anchorless]

The nice thing about the Boise River is that it is so cold that almost no one outside of the most hardcore kayakers get on the river until mid June at the earliest... and more like July. They usually only stay on until September.

Which means... we'll only have to deal with tubers for at most 2 months. But oh my, what a mess it will be then.

[Favre]

This photo is from this afternoon! Get really excited!

[carvedog]

that looks pretty awesome. and I might actually fit in my kayak again.