PIRU, CA - Anticipated storm flows from Pacific storm Lucifer are being anticipated to trigger whitewater access opportunities for portage over the Santa Felicia Dam at Lake Piru to lower Piru Creek. Pursuant to the terms of United Water Conservation District’s (District) license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the operation of Santa Felicia Dam, whitewater boating access on Piru Creek below Santa Felicia Dam is available when at least 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) is released from the dam. Primarily, flows of 200 cfs or greater typically occur during the District's water conservation releases. These releases occur in most years and are conducted over a period of several weeks in the early fall. Due to drought conditions, however, the District has not conducted a conservation release since 2012 and, as a result, has not been able to provide recreational whitewater opportunities.

With Lucifer predicted to make landfall Friday, February 17, the powerful storm is likely to trigger flows of 200 cfs or greater. It is likely that the amount of rain combined with rising storm flows will trigger the District’s migration release, intended to provide natural migration flows for the endangered Southern California Steelhead which may attempt to migrate up the Santa Clara River from the ocean during such storm events. In the event of a migration release, the District is required to provide whitewater boating opportunities, which will be limited to portaging over the dam on Saturdays and Sundays, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and only when the rate of release is above 200 cubic feet per second (cfs). Access will not be permitted without a reservation, which must be made at least 24 hours in advance of the requested portaging. This anticipated whitewater access opportunity is expected to last through at least Monday, February 20.

For details, please check the District’s website for updates on releases from Santa Felicia Dam (www.unitedwater.org). For current flow conditions in lower Piru Creek and on the Santa Clara River, check the US Geological Survey's website for USGS gauging station below Santa Felicia Dam.

For additional information of whitewater boating on lower Piru Creek, please refer to the American Whitewater webpage. To make reservations for whitewater boating, please contact the Lake Piru Park Service staff at (805) 320-3990 or (805) 625-4897