[OSMB-News] News Release -Jackson County Marine Patrol Urge Boaters to Avoid Gold Ray Dam Breach, Close Tou Velle Boat Launch

[Ashley Massey]

For Immediate Release                                               Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010  
Jackson County Marine Patrol Urge Boaters to Avoid Gold Ray Dam Breach, Close Tou Velle Boat Launch
 
            The Jackson County Marine Patrol has temporarily closed the Tou Velle boat launch at the Tou Velle State Park on the Rogue River and blocked vehicle access on Gold Ray Road.  Law enforcement officials are monitoring the upper and lower ends of the river to make sure boaters do not attempt to access the river near this dangerous area.
            A coffer dam was unexpectedly breached at the Gold Ray Dam near Gold Hill Wednesday morning, stranding several workers on an island and sending brown turbulent water downriver, the Medford Mail Tribune reported.  
            “There are so many underwater strainers and large amounts of debris downstream of the coffer dam. The river is essentially flowing like a class V rapid,” says Lieutenant Pat Rowland of the Jackson County Marine Patrol.  “The current is so strong and turbulent, there's no way anyone could get out of there safely.”  
Rowland anticipates the area downstream opening up for use again by the weekend, but that will largely depend on whether there are significant underwater hazards identified by law enforcement officials.  “The upstream will continue to be closed until further notice,” Rowland adds.
            Signs have been placed both above and below the dam.  ###
 
 
Ashley A. Massey
Public Information Officer
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us
www.boatoregon.com
www.twitter.com/marineboard
We're also on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Salem-OR/Oregon-State-Marine-Board/116751421672478 )!
 
"Go with the flow." 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/osmb-news/attachments/20100811/80a529a1/attachment.html>