HR Sandbar: "Clean Up" vs. Improvement

Kmun · Since 05 Jul 2009 264 Posts Obsessed

Why remove logs, root balls and rocks when they can be employed to PREVENT the sand from eroding away.

The remains of the original thirty six acre sandbar is tenuously secured by a perimeter of natural anchoring features.

Instead of denuding the beach of spring arrivals; re-situate logs, roots and rocks to become substrate footings. Burying the debris is not as fun as diesel fuel and fire, but wise redistribution will help wind and water INCREASE sand deposition & improve a robust public space.

Pepi · Sat May 18, 13 10:18 pm

Hi Kmun :

The sandbar clean ups are organized to attend to safety and access maintenance, and do not focus primarily on 'removing' objects from the Sandbar, a big part of the clean ups is also cleaning the parking lot and regrading the access ramp.

However, due to the few 'near misses' and some not-so-near-misses out on the Sandbar over the years, the kite community has learned that opportunities to remove dangerously located hazards makes things safer for all users on the Sandbar.

As for anchoring features, the materials that the Sandbar is currently made up of is of the heavier and more compact nature and therefore fairly erosion resistant. That being said, the Sandbar is what it is and where it is for a good long time now.
Most of this info has been provided to us from the environmental hydrologists who have completed multiple surveys of the Sandbar over the years.

*Regarding your comments about diesel and fires, the burning of fuels like diesel are not allowed (*yes, it happened once in the past, but that was an individual who acted on his own and not as a part of the CGKA).

MarkWorth · Since 02 May 2011 149 Posts Hood River Stoked

Go try to launch kite a at wells island. The sandbar will start to look a lot like wells island within 10 years if we do not continue to clear debris. Not clearing will lead to willows and then trees. More sand bar is certainly not my goal. Kiteboarding is a water sport and there is more dry land then any kiteboarder needs.
Before the flood that raised the sand bar level 6 years ago the kiteboarding was much better and safer throughout the season. Currently the pool depth in the center of the sandbar varies between dangerously shallow and dry. 18 inches of water is fun but the risk of braking your neck if you get inverted has been illustrated several times.
Before the flood the 40 acres of 4 foot deep sandbar was free of dogs sunbathers and rock.

forrest · Mon May 20, 13 7:49 am

We're not going out onto the Sandbar to remove debris.

The Clean-Up we're doing on Saturday is focus on the area at the bottom of the ramp right out of the parking lot, with an emphasis on making the lunching better. The Sandbar is an under utilized resource during high water, and a great place to hang out for kiters with families.

HRnico · Since 22 Mar 2008 262 Posts Da Hood Obsessed

what sand bar? All I saw was water this last weekend