Some question how safe new ‘safe passage’ really is

The Colorado Avenue Dam project, which became the Bend Whitewater Park, has been making waves for quite some time. It finally opened to the public Friday, but some soon found out the “safe passage” channel wasn’t exactly what they’d hoped for.

Engineers made up for a 12-foot elevation drop by creating rock steps down the channel. Many who tried the channel in its first days of operations said the rocks are hard to move around and potentially dangerous.

Bend Parks and Recreation confirmed there were injuries over opening weekend, but said they were only “minor scrapes and bruises.”

One kayaker told NewsChannel 21 she wasn’t expecting the rocks to be so shallow and that after taking her kayak through, it was dinged and scratched up.

One man who was floating with his wife and 3-year-old son said his inner tube might have popped during the pass.

Bend Parks and Rec officials say they are still figuring out the bladder system and how much water to direct to each channel.

The fish passage requires a certain amount at all times, leaving only so much to go around for the whitewater channel and the safe passage for floaters.

BPRD said it will likely take them two to three seasons before they get a complete grasp on these flows.