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38-419: Yakima Valley may refer to: Yakima River Valley in southeastern portion of the state of Washington Yakima Valley AVA (viticultural area) Yakima Valley Transportation Company a former bus and rail transportation company in the state of Washington Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

76-445: A river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a part of the experience. This activity as an adventure sport has become popular since the 1950s, if not earlier, evolving from individuals paddling 10 feet (3.0 m) to 14 feet (4.3 m) rafts with double-bladed paddles or oars to multi-person rafts propelled by single-bladed paddles and steered by

114-621: A commercial rafting operator before signing on for that type of trip. The required equipment needed is essential information to be considered. Risks in white water rafting stem from both environmental dangers and from improper behavior. Certain features on rivers are inherently unsafe and have remained consistently so. These would include 'keeper hydraulics', 'strainers' (e.g. fallen trees), dams (especially low-head dams, which tend to produce river-wide keeper hydraulics), undercut rocks, and of course high waterfalls. Typical rafting injuries include trauma from striking an object, traumatic stress from

152-407: A person at the stern, or by the use of oars . Rafting on certain sections of rivers is considered an extreme sport and can be fatal, while other sections are not so extreme or difficult. Rafting is also a competitive sport practiced around the world which culminates in a world rafting championship event between the participating nations. The International Rafting Federation , often referred to as

190-462: A rafting trip using proper precautions is low. Thousands of people safely enjoy rafting trips every year. Like most outdoor sports, rafting, in general, has become safer over the years. Expertise in the sport has increased, and equipment has become more specialized and improved in quality. As a result, the difficulty rating of most river runs has changed. A classic example is the Colorado River in

228-490: A reliably safe basis. Rafters can expect to encounter substantial whitewater, huge waves, huge rocks and hazards, and/or substantial drops that will impart severe impacts beyond the structural capacities and impact ratings of almost all rafting equipment. Traversing a Class 6 rapid has a dramatically increased likelihood of ending in serious injury or death compared to lesser classes. (Skill level: Full mastery of rafting, and even then it may not be safe) The overall risk level on

266-569: A small drop, but no considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering. (Skill level: Some experience in rafting) Class 4: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed. (Skill level: Exceptional rafting experience) Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, large volume, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering. (Skill level: Full mastery of rafting) Class 6: Class 6 rapids are considered to be so dangerous that they are effectively unnavigable on

304-678: A year, draws visitors from Seattle, about two hours' drive away. The Yakima River Basin consists of approximately 6,150 square miles (15,900 km ) located in south central Washington State. It is bounded by the Cascade Mountains on the west, the Wenatchee Mountains on the north, Rattlesnake Mountain and the Rattlesnake Hills on the east, and the Horse Heaven Hills to the south. The basin encompasses areas designated by

342-905: Is generally more durable, longer-lasting, and just as easy to repair compared to older rubber rafts. Paddles and oars are the typical means of propulsion for rafts and come in many sizes and varieties with specific river conditions in mind. Paddles are a combination of layered wood, plastic, aluminium, carbon fiber, or other advanced composites. There are many types and combinations of these materials with lower-end entry-level paddles being composed of cheap aluminum and plastic. Higher-end models are constructed of high-end composites and mostly utilized by professional rafting guides, raft racers, and expedition paddlers. The basic paddle design for rafting consists of 3 parts: Paddles are typically utilized by rafters in smaller and lower volume rivers where rocks and other hazards can damage larger oars. Paddles are typically used by guests on commercial trips as well since it

380-464: Is seen as a more engaging way to enjoy the river trip. When paddles are used in a raft it is referred to as "paddling" or "paddle guiding". Oars are commonly made from the same materials as paddles. Wood, plastic, aluminum, and carbon fiber. Oars are designed for several different rivers with slightly different blade shapes built to handle varying river conditions. Wooden oars are typically built as one solid piece to help retain strength and resilience of

418-673: Is used for rafting , kayaking , and fishing , especially around the Ellensburg area and near the confluence with the Columbia River during the summer months. The Yakima River is ranked between Class I and Class II rapids , depending on the circumstances and season. In the Tri-Cities, the delta where the Yakima meets the Columbia has several hiking trails. The dry climate, with over 300 sunshine days

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456-579: The Cascade Range at an elevation of 2,449 feet (746 m) at Keechelus Dam on Keechelus Lake near Snoqualmie Pass , near Easton . The river flows through that town, skirts Ellensburg , passes the city of Yakima , and continues southeast to Richland , where it flows into the Columbia River creating the Yakima River Delta at an elevation of 340 feet (100 m). About 9 million years ago,

494-579: The Chilko River in British Columbia , Canada. Like all outdoor activities, rafting must balance its use of nature with the conservation of rivers as a natural resource and habitat . Because of these issues, some rivers now have regulations restricting the annual seasons and daily operating times or numbers of rafters. Conflicts have arisen when commercial rafting operators, often in co-operation with municipalities and tourism associations, alter

532-639: The Grand Canyon , which historically had a reputation far exceeding its actual safety statistics. Today the Grand Canyon sees hundreds of safe rafting trips by both do it yourself rafters and commercial river concessionaires. Rafting companies generally require customers to sign waiver forms indicating understanding and acceptance of potential serious risks. Both do-it-yourself and commercial rafting trips often begin with safety presentations to educate rafting participants about problems that may arise. Depending on

570-790: The Snake River in Wyoming was planned. With no training, experience, or proper equipment, the river was found to be too difficult and dangerous. Hence, it was given the nickname "Mad River". On June 9, 1940, Clyde Smith led a successful trip through the Snake River Canyon. In 1843 lieutenant John Fremont introduced the first rubber raft in US. Later on in 1844 the further enhancements were made by Peter Halkett. These vessels greatly facilitated whitewater navigation. It lasted for many years, with improvements in craftsmanship and safety over time. Otherwise known as

608-849: The Washington Department of Ecology as the Upper Yakima Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs) 38 and 39 and the Lower Yakima WRIA 37. The dividing line between these northern and southern sections is the confluence of the Naches and Yakima Rivers. The Yakima River provides irrigation for the dry but fertile land in the valley, and irrigated agriculture is the economic base. Agricultural land totals 1,000 square miles (2,600 km ), including irrigated pastures, orchards, grapes, hops, and field crops. A significant portion of Washington apples and cherries are grown in

646-436: The riverbed by dredging and/or blasting in order to eliminate safety hazards or create more interesting whitewater features in the river. Environmentalists argue that this may have negative impacts to riparian and aquatic ecosystems , while proponents claim these measures are usually only temporary since a riverbed is naturally subject to permanent changes during large floods and other events. Another conflict involves

684-448: The IRF, is the worldwide body which oversees all aspects of the sport. Rafting equipment has continuously evolved and developed significantly from old rubber WW II era military surplus rafts. Modern whitewater rafts are typically made with advanced nylon or Kevlar infused plastics like PVC or urethane; though many of the more entry-level low-cost manufacturers still use a glued rubber. Plastic

722-497: The International Scale of River Difficulty, below are the six grades of difficulty in white water rafting. They range from simple to very dangerous and potential death or serious injuries. Class 1: Very small rough areas, might require slight maneuvering. (Skill level: Very basic) Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require some maneuvering. (Skill level: Basic paddling skill) Class 3: Small waves, maybe

760-671: The Valley beyond. These flood deposits which were deposited in large quantities in short amounts of time changed the ground elevation within Badger Canyon causing the Yakima River to re-route north of Red Mountain and enter the Columbia River by present-day Richland . During the last ice age , the Missoula Floods further altered the landscape of the area, opening up the Horn Rapids area to

798-550: The Yakama Nation owns 889,786 acres (3,600.84 km ) within the basin. Forested areas in the northern and western portions of the basin occupy approximately 2,200 square miles (5,700 km ) and are used for recreation, wildlife habitat, timber harvest, grazing, and tribal cultural activities. Range lands comprise about 2,900 square miles (7,500 km ) and are used for military training, grazing, wildlife habitat, and tribal cultural activities. Major population centers include

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836-517: The Yakima River flowed south from near Vantage to the Tri-Cities , and then turned west straight for the ocean through Badger Canyon west of Kennewick . Badger Canyon was once a waterway of the Yakima River, this pre-existing channel led the Yakima River to make tribute to the Columbia River at the current location of the city of Kennewick. Beginning nearly 15,000 years ago the Columbia Plateau

874-428: The Yakima River. The West Fork of Amon Creek now utilizes Badger Canyon. The first western explorers to visit the river were Lewis and Clark on or about October 17, 1805. They stopped briefly at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia, although they did not proceed upriver. The river was then known to local Native Americans as "Tap Teel", although the area has been inhabited since prehistory. The Yakima River

912-403: The area, safety regulations covering rafting, both for the general do-it-yourself public as well as commercial operators, may exist in legislation. These range from the mandatory wearing of lifejackets, carrying certain equipment such as whistles and throwable flotation devices, to certification of commercial outfitters and their employees. It is generally advisable to discuss safety measures with

950-409: The boat called an "oar frame". Oars connect to the frame by either a pin and clip system or a system called oarlocks . Either system connects to the frame via oar towers on either side of the frame. Pins are referred to as "thole pins" or "oar pins". A large metal clip attaches to the oar and clips onto the pin. The top of the pin has a rubber or plastic stopper that prevents the oar from slipping over

988-777: The city of Yakima and the Tri-Cities area. Population growth for the 1990s was projected at 7.9% in Kittitas County , 19.7% in Yakima County , and 22.7% in Benton County . While much of the growth in Benton and Yakima counties has been in and around the incorporated areas, most of the growth in Kittitas County has been in unincorporated areas. In addition to irrigated agriculture, the major economic driving forces include timber harvest and processing, cattle, and outdoor recreation. With

1026-534: The distribution of scarce river permits to either the do-it-yourself public or commercial rafting companies. Rafting by do-it-yourself rafters and commercial rafting companies contributes to the economy of many regions which in turn may contribute to the protection of rivers from hydroelectric power generation, diversion for irrigation , and other development. Additionally, white water rafting trips can promote environmentalism . Multi-day rafting trips by do-it-yourself rafters and commercial rafting companies through

1064-607: The interaction of the paddler's positioning and equipment and the force of the water, overuse injuries , submersion/environmental injuries, and non-environmental injuries due to undisclosed medical conditions (such as heart problems). Studies have shown that injury rates in rafting are relatively low, though they may be skewed due to a large number of unreported incidents. Fatalities are rare in both commercial and do-it-yourself rafting. Meta-analyses have calculated that fatalities ranged between 0.55 – 0.86 per 100,000 user days. A rare accident with five fatalities occurred in 1987 on

1102-425: The irrigation system. The USGS operates four streamflow gauges on the Yakima River. The highest average discharge recorded, 3,542 cubic feet per second (100.3 m /s), is more than halfway up the river at Union Gap . The two downriver gauges show average flows of a reduced amount. Rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate

1140-517: The oar while it is strained under a load. Composite or metallic oars typically are made in three parts: All of these parts are interchangeable and can be upgraded and altered in many ways to make rowing more enjoyable. Oars are generally used on wider flatter rivers of higher volume to facilitate moving more efficiently across long slow-moving pools, though anglers will often use shorter oars on smaller rafts in low volume rivers to help them maintain an advantageous upstream position while anglers cast from

1178-478: The person using the oars to continue downstream. Oarlocks look like a pin topped with a U-shaped metal flange. The oars slide into the gap between the U-shaped metal pieces and can be held in place with a plastic stopper called an oarlock. The oarlock allows the oar to maintain its position on the oar at a correct length for rowing. Whitewater rafting can be traced back to 1811 when the first recorded attempt to navigate

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1216-399: The purpose of irrigated agriculture. There are numerous dams and irrigation canals. Irrigation runoff is in places returned to the river through canal drains. The irrigation system in the Yakima's watershed causes periods of both severe river dewatering and elevated flows, relative to the historic streamflow regime. As a result, discharge statistics for the Yakima River are heavily affected by

1254-424: The raft. When a raft utilizes oars it is called "rowing" though many people typically incorrectly refer to this as "oaring" or "oar framing", however, these terms are incorrect and often suggest inexperience when used in conversation with members of the rafting community. Oars typically use one of 2 systems to attach to the boat, but in either case, they interface with the boat through a large metallic frame strapped to

1292-566: The significant reduction in timber harvesting on federal lands and the implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan to protect the endangered northern spotted owl , the timber economy has been greatly eroded in recent years. The proximity to high population areas of the Puget Sound has caused a rapid increase in the demand for outdoor recreational experiences in the basin. The Yakima River and its tributaries have been heavily altered for

1330-475: The title Yakima Valley . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yakima_Valley&oldid=946961846 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Yakima River The river rises in

1368-443: The top of the pin. The bottom of the pin connects to an oar tower designed to hold the pin in place. This system is an older system though it is useful for certain types of river running namely big, dangerous Class 5 rivers that require your oars to stay in place as much as possible. Oarlocks or locks are a more common form of attachment for oars as they allow the rower to "feather" the oar back and forth as they row making it easier on

1406-660: The valley, as well as most (75%) of the United States's hops . Since the late 20th century, the wine industry has grown rapidly in the area. It is the location of the Yakima Valley AVA , a designated American Viticultural Area . Major landowners in the valley include federal and state agencies and the Yakama Indian Nation. Private ownership accounts for 1,246,818 acres (5,045.69 km ). The United States Forest Service manages 892,509 acres (3,611.86 km ), and

1444-533: Was transformed by the successive Missoula glacial outburst floods . Much of the flood water made way down the Columbia river Channel where a 'choke-point' known as Wallula Gap caused the restriction of flow. Floodwaters began ponding near the Tri-Cities resulting in the back-flooding of the Columbia's tributary valleys. Badger Canyon was an entry point for back-flooding of the Yakima Valley, successive floods left behind thick deposits of sediments in Badger Canyon and

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