Tunnel Run (Ralston Powerhouse To Greenwood)
For those without the skill or equipment to run this on their own, this could be one of the best commercial trips in CA. This area is not nearly as crowded as the South Fork but still offers year round boating due to dam controlled flows coming out of the Oxbow reservoir.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the American River, Middle Fork are between a bare minimum of 700cfs and a high of 3,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 11427000, the Nf American R A North Fork Dam Ca
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Tunnel Run (Ralston Powerhouse to Greenwood).
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | IV- to IV |
| Elevation | 717 ft |
| Run Length | 16.5 Mi |
| Gradient | 23 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 699 cfs |
| Gage Height | 1.3 ft |
| Air Temperature | 64° |
| River | American River, Middle Fork |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Nf American R A North Fork Dam Ca
USGS 11427000 |
|
Panic Alley Rapid
Class III |
|
Last Chance Rapid
Class III |
|
Tunnel Chute
Class IV+ |
|
Kanaka Falls (Cartwheel Rapid)
Class IV |
|
Upper Ruck-A-Chucky (Chunder) Rapid
Class IV- to IV |
|
Ruck-A-Chucky
Class V+ to VI |
|
Lower Ruck-A-Chucky
Class III+ to IV |
|
Driver's Ed Rapid
Class III to IV |
|
Catapult Rapid
Class III to IV- |
|
Shareen's Dream Rapid
Class III+ |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Truckee R Nr Truckee Ca
USGS 10338000 |
85 cfs | 1.7 ft |
|
American R A Fair Oaks Ca
USGS 11446500 |
2,170 cfs | 7.8 ft |
|
Deer C Nr Cameron Park Ca
USGS 11335655 |
8 cfs | 3.6 ft |
|
Truckee R A Tahoe City Ca
USGS 10337500 |
50 cfs | 2.1 ft |
|
Sagehen C Nr Truckee Ca
USGS 10343500 |
3 cfs | 1.6 ft |
|
Blackwood C Nr Tahoe City Ca
USGS 10336660 |
12 cfs | 8.2 ft |
|
General C Nr Meeks Bay Ca
USGS 10336645 |
4 cfs | 1.1 ft |
|
N Yuba R Bl Goodyears Bar Ca
USGS 11413000 |
530 cfs | 3.5 ft |
|
Prosser C Bl Prosser C Dam Nr Truckee Ca
USGS 10340500 |
61 cfs | 1.7 ft |
|
Independence C Nr Truckee Ca
USGS 10343000 |
27 cfs | 3.4 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
tahoma .5 s, ca
SNOTEL CA-ED-9 |
30.59" | -0.2" |
|
alpine meadows-base
SNOTEL AMBC1 |
58.46" | -0.39" |
|
black springs
SNOTEL BLSC1 |
54.67" | -0.18" |
|
Squaw Valley G.C.
SNOTEL 784 |
52" | 0" |
|
Truckee #2
SNOTEL 834 |
43" | 0" |
|
Ward Creek #3
SNOTEL 848 |
62" | -1" |
|
alpha
SNOTEL ALPHA_MADIS |
42.59" | -0.56" |
|
soda springs 1.5 ssw, ca
SNOTEL CA-PC-1 |
64.84" | -0.61" |
|
Independence Camp
SNOTEL 539 |
53" | 0" |
|
blue canyon alert
SNOTEL BLUC1 |
47.43" | 0.1" |
|
Rubicon #2
SNOTEL 724 |
50" | 0" |
|
blue canyon
SNOTEL BLU |
47" | 2.15" |
|
Tahoe City Cross
SNOTEL 809 |
33" | 0" |
|
Independence Creek
SNOTEL 540 |
31" | 0" |
|
Css Lab
SNOTEL 428 |
72" | 0" |
|
Independence Lake
SNOTEL 541 |
88" | -1" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finnon Lake | 14 | 2,427 ft | |||
| Big Reservoir | 19 | 4,161 ft | |||
| Ponderosa Cove | 18 | 4,293 ft | |||
| Shirttail | 30 | 3,943 ft | |||
| Giant Gap | 35 | 3,686 ft | |||
| Dru Barner | 47 | 3,237 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coloma to Greenwood - (C to G) | 699.0cfs | 5.0 Mi | II to III- |
| Generation and Giant Gaps (Tadpole to Colfax-Iowa Hill Road) | 699.0cfs | 26.8 Mi | IV to IV+ |
| Tunnel Run (Ralston Powerhouse to Greenwood) | 699.0cfs | 16.5 Mi | IV- to IV |
| Chili Bar | 699.0cfs | 8.0 Mi | III to IV |
| Yankee Jim Road to Ponderosa Way (Shirttail) | 699.0cfs | 5.0 Mi | II to III |
| Greenwood to Mammoth Bar | 699.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | II to II+ |