<html><head></head><body><div class="ydp63f111b2yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:garamond, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><div><a href="http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html#tncms-source=login" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" class="">http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html#tncms-source=login</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-paging-dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8" class="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-paging" style="font-family: Lato;"><div id="ydp7a9ea7b8paging-prev-dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8" class="ydp7a9ea7b8paging-link ydp7a9ea7b8prev" style="font-family: Lato; display: block; outline: currentcolor none 0px; text-align: left; z-index: 1000;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8animate ydp7a9ea7b8item" style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px; width: 400px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 1px 1px 1px 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); min-height: 148px;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8inner" style="font-family: Lato; position: relative; min-height: 140px;"><a class="ydp7a9ea7b8overlay" href="http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_7068c54a-c03b-11ec-aed5-ab3fb36e73f2.html#tncms-source=article-nav-prev" data-direction="left" style="font-family: Lato; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; display: block; width: 399px; z-index: 1;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8sr-only" style="font-family: Lato; border-color: currentcolor; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 1px; min-height: 1px;"></span></a><font face="courier new, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif">Big Flat whitewater park eyed by supervisors</font></div></div></div></div><div class="ydp63f111b2signature"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-masthead" style="font-family: Lato; margin: 20px 0px 40px; position: relative; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor;"><h2 itemprop="alternativeHeadline" class="ydp7a9ea7b8subhead" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.1; color: inherit; margin: 10px 100px 10px 0px; font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Lato;">Initial scoping project approved</span></h2><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8meta" style="font-family: Lato; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 100px;"><span style="font-family: Lato;"><ul class="ydp7a9ea7b8list-inline" style="font-family: Lato; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; list-style: none;"><li style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><span itemprop="author" class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-byline" style="font-family: Lato;">By Josh Cozine The Trinity Journal</span></li><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8Apple-converted-space"> </span><li class="ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-print" style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px;">Apr 13, 2022<span class="ydp7a9ea7b8Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8text-muted ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-update-old" style="font-family: Lato; color: rgb(119, 119, 119);">Updated<span class="ydp7a9ea7b8Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>Apr 13, 2022</li><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8Apple-converted-space"> </span><li class="ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-print" style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><a href="http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html#comments" class="ydp7a9ea7b8cm" title="1 comment" style="font-family: Lato; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8count ydp7a9ea7b8comment-counter" style="font-family: Lato;">1</span></a></li></ul></span></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8share-container ydp7a9ea7b8headline-right ydp7a9ea7b8pull-right ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-xs ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-sm" data-subscription-required-remove="" style="font-family: Lato; float: right !important;"><ul class="ydp7a9ea7b8social-share-links ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-print ydp7a9ea7b8list-unstyled ydp7a9ea7b8stacked ydp7a9ea7b8icon" style="font-family: Lato; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; list-style: none;"><li class="ydp7a9ea7b8social-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8fb" style="font-family: Lato; margin-bottom: 1px; min-height: 2em;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trinityjournal.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Farticle_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_campaign%3Duser-share" class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8fb" title="Share on Facebook" data-toggle="new-window" data-new-window-width="500" data-new-window-height="300" data-track="{network:Facebook,socialAction:post,url:/news/local/article_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html}" data-tncms-track-event="{app:editorial,metric:social_share,uuid:dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8}" style="font-family: Lato; background-color: transparent; color: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; display: block; white-space: nowrap;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-stack" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="left" title="" data-original-title="Share" style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 2em; min-height: 2em;"></span><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8sr-only" style="font-family: Lato; border-color: currentcolor; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 1px; min-height: 1px;">Facebook</span></a></li><li class="ydp7a9ea7b8social-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8tw" style="font-family: Lato; margin-bottom: 1px; min-height: 2em;"><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?&text=Big%20Flat%20whitewater%20park%20eyed%20by%20supervisors&via=trinityjournal&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trinityjournal.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Farticle_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_campaign%3Duser-share" class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8tw" title="Tweet" data-toggle="new-window" data-new-window-width="500" data-new-window-height="300" data-track="{network:Twitter,socialAction:tweet,url:/news/local/article_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html}" data-tncms-track-event="{app:editorial,metric:social_share,uuid:dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8}" style="font-family: Lato; background-color: transparent; color: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; display: block; white-space: nowrap;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-stack" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="left" title="" data-original-title="Tweet" style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 2em; min-height: 2em;"></span><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8sr-only" style="font-family: Lato; border-color: currentcolor; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 1px; min-height: 1px;">Twitter</span></a></li><li class="ydp7a9ea7b8social-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8em" style="font-family: Lato; margin-bottom: 1px; min-height: 2em;"><a href="mailto:?subject=%5Btrinityjournal.com%5D%20Big%20Flat%20whitewater%20park%20eyed%20by%20supervisors&body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trinityjournal.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Farticle_dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8.html%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Duser-share" class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8em ydp7a9ea7b8email-share-link" title="Email" data-track="{category:tnt-email,action:share,label:editorial-article,value:}" data-tncms-track-event="{app:editorial,metric:email,uuid:dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8}" style="font-family: Lato; background-color: transparent; color: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; display: block; white-space: nowrap;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-stack" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="left" title="" data-original-title="Email" style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 2em; min-height: 2em;"></span><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8sr-only" style="font-family: Lato; border-color: currentcolor; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 1px; min-height: 1px;">Email</span></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8row" style="font-family: Lato; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-color: currentcolor;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8main-content ydp7a9ea7b8col-lg-8 ydp7a9ea7b8col-md-7 ydp7a9ea7b8has-sidebar" style="font-family: Lato; position: relative; min-height: 1px; padding-right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; float: left; width: 595px;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8main-content-wrap" style="font-family: Lato;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-photo ydp7a9ea7b8card" style="font-family: Lato; width: 565px; margin-bottom: 20px; position: relative;"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8expand ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-print" data-toggle="modal" data-target=".modal-f01188aa-babd-11ec-8370-ef9d8bab1b7c" style="font-family: Lato; z-index: 1; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 5px 10px; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 18px !important;"></span><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8image" data-toggle="modal" data-target=".modal-f01188aa-babd-11ec-8370-ef9d8bab1b7c" style="font-family: Lato; margin-bottom: 10px; position: relative;"><div style="font-family: Lato;"><img src="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/trinityjournal.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/01/f01188aa-babd-11ec-8370-ef9d8bab1b7c/625614b4a559a.image.jpg?resize=400%2C259" alt="Big Flat whitewater park proposal" class="ydp7a9ea7b8img-responsive ydp7a9ea7b8full ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-restrict-img-f01188aa-babd-11ec-8370-ef9d8bab1b7c ydp7a9ea7b8default" style="font-family: Lato; border-color: currentcolor; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max-width: 400px; margin: 0px auto; width: 400px;"></div></div><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8credit" style="font-family: Lato; display: block; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); margin-top: 5px; font-size: 12px;"><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8tnt-byline" style="font-family: Lato;">Charles Loy</span></span><span class="ydp7a9ea7b8clearfix" style="font-family: Lato;"></span></div><div id="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-content" data-asset-uuid="dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8" style="font-family: Lato;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8row" style="font-family: Lato;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8col-lg-12 ydp7a9ea7b8col-md-12 ydp7a9ea7b8col-sm-12" data-subscription-required-class="col-xs-12" style="font-family: Lato; position: relative; min-height: 1px; padding-right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; float: left; width: 595px;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-body" data-subscription-required-class="asset-body" style="font-family: Lato;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8share-container ydp7a9ea7b8content-above" data-subscription-required-remove="" style="font-family: Lato; margin-bottom: 20px;"><ul class="ydp7a9ea7b8social-share-links ydp7a9ea7b8hidden-print ydp7a9ea7b8list-inline ydp7a9ea7b8icon" style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style: none; text-align: initial;"><li class="ydp7a9ea7b8social-share-link ydp7a9ea7b8fb" style="font-family: Lato; display: inline-block; padding: 0px; border-color: currentcolor; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; width: auto;"><br></li></ul><form method="post" data-uuid="dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8" class="ydp7a9ea7b8save-list-dc6adf7c-babd-11ec-98ab-33008657dbe8-form ydp7a9ea7b8save-asset-to-list" action="http://www.trinityjournal.com/users/admin/list/" style="font-family: Lato;" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></form></div><div id="ydp7a9ea7b8article-body" class="ydp7a9ea7b8asset-content ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-premium" style="font-family: Lato;"><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-preview" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">Surfing the Trinity River could become a reality if a study approved by the Board of Supervisors bears fruit.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-preview" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">Preliminary plans for a whitewater river park at the Big Flat river access parking area were discussed Tuesday, April 7, at the county Board of Supervisors meeting. The board approved $35,000 in funding to McLaughlin Whitewater for “consultation of the feasibility of in-river whitewater features.”</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">McLaughlin Whitewater is a Colorado-based engineering company that specializes in planning construction of whitewater parks and venues. Their resume includes the whitewater venue used for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games and more than a dozen other water features across the U.S., Canada and even one in Europe.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">Included in the concept design were plans to develop three standing waves — constant waves that don’t move or dissipate — and a climbing wall, as well as better access to the river, trail improvements and habitat restoration.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">The waves would be engineered by adding rocks to existing whitewater areas near the river access to shape the water until it forms the standing waves, allowing for surfing on the river and kayaking and other water-based activities without the need to either hike back to your vehicle or be picked up miles downriver.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">The project is still very much in the scoping and planning phase with no immediate plans for any construction or alteration to the river.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">“The work is focused on providing the county and project stakeholders key information to support planning decisions regarding if building a whitewater project should be pursued,” McLaughlin Whitewater said in a letter to Sup. Jeremy Brown who has been pursuing the project and agendized it for discussion and approval of the first step of planning.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">“I’m super excited to have this item on the agenda, it’s been a couple years in the making, behind the scenes inquiries, reaching out and it’s finally gotten into a little bit of a tangible project now,” Brown said during discussion on the item.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">According to Ben Nielsen, engineer with McLaughlin Whitewater, the project is several years away from any construction beginning, and McLaughlin would not be involved in doing any of the construction but would be designing plans only.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">Nielsen said he could not estimate on what the cost of construction would be without completing initial studies, but that it would likely be into the millions of dollars. Sup. Brown said that he is hopeful much or all of the costs could be covered through grants and other forms of funding outside of the general fund. The initial $35,000 allocated came from the general fund, but Brown said that amount too could likely be reimbursed through grants once the scoping is completed.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">During public comment a few residents asked about the possibility of placing the park somewhere else on the river. Near Junction City was the area most suggested during public comment due its nearby proximity to Weaverville with more services and amenities.</p></div><div class="ydp7a9ea7b8subscriber-only" style="font-family: Lato;"><p style="font-family: Lato; margin: 0px 0px 24px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px;">Nielsen said other sites were considered, but that the Big Flat access area was the best spot because of already existing whitewater conditions in multiple close-proximity locations that could more easily be transformed into standing wave features.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>