Parts of the Feather River will roil with whitewater this weekend, providing thrills for boaters, along with heightened dangers.
Water flows will more than double along eight miles of river for the weekend as part of a 16-year-old agreement between boating enthusiasts, federal and state agencies and Pacific Gas & Electric Company. PG&E operates an extensive network of hydro-electric facilities along the river.
Higher flows, from the Rock Creek Dam to the Rock Creek Powerhouse near Storrie, will temporarily revive class III, class IV and Class V rapids that are normally high and dry.
PG&E is warning the public to use extreme caution along the river Saturday morning as river flows rise from 400 cubic feet per second to 1,100. River flows will be slowly reduced starting at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Conditions will present serious dangers to novice and inexperienced boaters.
Higher recreational flows are also scheduled for the fourth weekends of July, August and September.