Continuing Efforts to Protect the Smith River
North Fork Smith River in Oregon. Credit: Jon Parmentier
The Smith River is the largest entirely free-flowing river in California. Unfortunately, the Smith River National Recreation Area and wild & scenic river designations exclude the North Fork Smith River watershed in Oregon. Although relatively small in area, the northern headwaters of the Smith River supports a unique landscape, miles of pristine rivers and streams, and priceless recreation opportunities.
Early this year, as they had done in the two previous Congresses, U.S. Senator Merkley (D-Oregon), cosponsored by Senator Wyden (D-Oregon), reintroduced the Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, S. 162. The bill would add 58,000 acres of the North Fork Smith watershed in Oregon to the existing Smith River National Recreation Area (NRA) in California. The bill would also contain 74 miles of new wild & scenic river designations and a mining withdrawal. The bill was cosponsored by California’s U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and the late Dianne Feinstein.
Map provided by Outdoor Alliance.
Of course it takes two houses of the U.S. Congress to tango. But we have some fresh and welcome news to share.
On December 5, U.S. Representatives Val Hoyle (D-Oregon) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) introduced the Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, a companion measure to U.S. Senator Merkley's Senate bill, S. 162.
The bill introduction was accompanied by the expected press release(1) with glowing and truthful words by Representatives Hoyle and Huffman and Senator Merkley and others.
Representative Val Hoyle. Public domain.
Representative Jared Huffman. Public domain.
The bill may face tough sledding in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives, of course, but it’s nice to have champions on both side of the state border in the U.S. House of Representatives — in the 118th Congress and the future as well.
I have kayaked many of the tributaries of the Smith River, including the North Fork Smith, and these are high-quality whitewater and natural wonders. The North Fork Smith has 13 miles of class III / IV rapids in the wilderness with outstanding scenery and water quality. There is a unique carnivorous plant that lives only in this region, and it flourishes along the banks of the river here. It is such a rare treat now to have a free-flowing and clean river, so I relish the opportunity to protect this entire river and its watershed for future generations.
Darling californicus plant on the Smith River. Credit: National Parks Service.