What is the Boothe River Park Project?
The Boothe River Park Project (Project) is an initiative pioneered by a few local paddlers and engaged citizens who see an opportunity to leverage the unique paddling culture of Saranac Lake and add to the vitality of the village’s downtown area. This river park will modify a section of the Saranac River in the area of the Route 3 La Pan bridge to enhance its natural features to provide whitewater opportunities accessible to boats of all kinds, including canoes, kayaks, inner tubes, rafts, SUPs, and other watercraft. We propose to build a single river-wide standing wave that can be played in and around at various river levels throughout the year. We intend to optimize the existing swift current at this location to promote natural rehabilitation of the streambed and restore the shoreline for fish and wild habitat and safe access.
Who are the people supporting the Project?
We are a small and committed group of local citizens who care deeply about our town and the functionality of our downtown area. We are paddlers, fishermen, and environmentally-conscious locals who want to implement sustainable locally-branded development into the revitalization of our village’s downtown. A Friends of the Boothe River Park non-profit is facilitating the project along with the village of Saranac Lake who is overseeing the DRI funding for the project.
Why a river park?
River parks are simple, typically low-impact, paddling areas that have benefits on many levels. As demonstrated in the United States, Canada, and Europe, river parks add recreational value (e.g., boating and fishing) and create a focus point at the river allowing for increased economic opportunities. River parks have become very popular in river towns where they act as magnets and draw boaters, anglers, and tourists alike to the river. The Saranac River courses through the heart of the village and is largely hidden being tucked between buildings, parking lots and off the main street. As the River Walk is revitalized, creation of the river park will complement the economic growth and aesthetic enhancement of downtown Saranac Lake.
Will it destroy the natural character of the river?
The section of the Saranac River where the river park is proposed is currently in a noticeably different and degraded condition compared to the natural river that ran through the area prior to the early 1800s. The dam on Lake Flower was built in 1827 and since then the section of river within the village has been altered and reshaped to accommodate downtown development. Currently, lengths of the river bank are lined with large unnatural boulders that channelize the flow and the natural riparian area has been modified and reduced, diminishing the function of the vegetated buffer adjacent to the river. Creation of the river park will restore natural elements such as eddies and pools in this section of river to provide fish habitat. Rehabilitation of the shoreline will repair the riparian area adjacent to the stream while providing safe access for fishing and boating.
Where is the funding coming from?
Since the Project’s inception in 2015, we have raised money from various sources, including private donations, some local grants, and through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. While we have enough funds to launch the initial stages of the Project, we will continue to raise funds until the Project is complete.
Why allocate money and resources on a river park that will only benefit a small group of users?
It is a common misconception that the goal of this project is to create a river park only for advanced paddlers. Our plan is to create a holistic project that includes recreation opportunities for paddlers, boaters, etc. plus stream and habitat restoration that would enhance the river benefitting fish and wildlife. Kayaking, canoeing, rafting, and even river surfing, will be some of the many new recreational components of the Project. The Project also aims to improve fishing, restore the river banks to a healthy and sustainable condition, and create safe opportunities for boaters, anglers and the public to recreate in and on the Saranac River. In addition to the social and environmental benefits to the region as a result of the Project, the public and private funding will support the local economy. Visitors and users of the river park will also contribute to the local economy by eating at local restaurants, buying gear at local outfitters, etc.
Are there data to support the projected economic, social, and environmental boost?
Prior to hiring a design firm and investing a ton of volunteer hours and effort into this project we completed a Feasibility Study that aimed to consider if a river park would be viable in this location, from an environmental, social, health, and cultural perspective. You can review our feasibility study here.
What does the permitting process look like?
The Project design process will be driven toward the necessary permitting requirements. The regulatory process requirements will be followed to ensure proper consideration of the natural health of the river area, make sure best management practices are followed, and to consider long-term viability of the area. We have proactively reached out to the various local, state, and federal regulatory agencies that will be part of the permitting process, and we will file appropriate permit applications once design is adequate for their consideration. Work will not begin on the Project until the permitting process is complete.
What is the Project timeline?
We do not want to rush through a project that later has issues that were not considered during the earlier stages of design and implementation. We hope to have a design set around the fall of 2022 and work through permitting during the winter and spring of 2022-23, with construction hopefully to follow summer of 2023 or 2024.
Will hydroelectric power generation from the Lake Flower dam be affected?
Hydroelectric power generation from the Lake Flower dam will not be affected. Stakeholders have expressed concern that the construction of the Project would affect the level of the water downstream of dam, thereby affecting the capacity of the dam to generate hydroelectric power, which is currently bought by the Village of Saranac Lake. Avoiding impacts on the dam and its ability to generate hydroelectric power has been a primary consideration in the design of theProject and the Project has been designed to avoid these impacts in all phases.
How will the Project impact fishing?
We are fishermen ourselves and recognize fishing as an integral part of the local culture and care deeply about the overall biological health of the Saranac River and its watershed. The location where the river park will be installed has been affected by adjacent development and previous in-stream modifications. Rehabilitation of the streambed and shoreline are important elements of the Project that would provide fish and wild habitat and enhance fishing at this location. The shoreline improvements will also improve safe and easy access for fishing.
Will fish be able to pass safely up and down the feature?
Yes, fish will be able to pass upstream through the whitewater feature very easily because it will not block flow or prevent fish passage. The feature will consist of a single fast-moving section of water with an upstream breaking wave at certain water levels, allowing fish to travel up and down – there will be no physical barrier to fish passage. The Lake Flower dam approximately 100 yards upstream of the whitewater feature will remain a fish passage barrier.
Will upstream and downstream property owners be affected?
The Project will not affect any adjacent or nearby property owners, as the river level will not be altered by the whitewater feature.
Will the river connectivity be maintained between Lake Flower and canoe routes downriver?
Yes, navigation on the river will not be affected and the connectivity will remain intact as paddlers will still be able to paddle on Lake Flower, portage/carry around the dam, and put-in back into the Saranac River downstream of the dam. As such routes like the Northern Forest Canoe Trail will NOT be affected by the river park.
Where will users park and unload once the Project is constructed? Is there sufficient parking planned to avoid congested side of the roads parking?
Parking and site access are important considerations, and early on we decided that if there was not sufficient parking and access, that we would not move forward with the Project. Upon review of available parking and the initial project design, we believe there is plenty of parking to accommodate the river park in conjunction with other uses even at peak use time of year. The municipal lot behind the Police Station, the Dorsey Street parking lot behind Main Street, parking along Dorsey Street, and parking spots on Lake Street and Main Street can all be utilized to access the river corridor in the river park area.
Will paddlers need to register and/or show competency at paddling whitewater before using the park? Who will oversee use of the park?
Paddlers and users of the river park will NOT need to register before paddling. The feature will be treated just like other local whitewaters (Permanent Rapids, for example) and parks (Skate Park in town, for example) where it is open to anyone and no oversight will be provided. We strongly recommend only competent paddlers play on the whitewater feature and that all users know and understand the inherent risks associated with moving water, cold water immersion, and boating in general. While we recommend only experienced paddlers “play” (surf, ferry across, yo-yo’s up and down the current, etc.) on the feature, running the rapid will be open to all levels of boaters to include tubers, rafters, SUPs, touring/trekking canoes and kayaks, etc.
No liability waivers will be needed to use the river park. It will be treated just like other local parks are (skateboard park, for example) where it is open to all for use at their own risk. The wave feature created in the river park will not be dangerous enough to allow only expert paddlers. While there are inherent risks with any water-based activity, the river park will not require any oversight to use it nor will there be any onsite management.
How is this project being designed with boating safety in mind?
There is an inherent danger with any “risk sport” that users accept but whitewater recreation is statistically safer than skiing, mountain biking, roller blading and many other outdoor sports according to American Whitewater. Risk is also mitigated through user knowledge, skill level and proper equipment. In-channel users will have to meet state laws for personal flotation devices, and helmets, cold water protection and other safety measures will be recommended. We recognize the need for a comprehensive public education campaign to make sure users understand their limits and respect the power of a naturally flowing river.
The design of the river very much considers user interfaces such as boat access points and the concentrated hydraulics are all designed to flush and not have the “keeper hole” which all of the existing dams have. Shoreline access is also being designed to allow for safe self-rescue, as needed. In the areas where shoreline access is not available, all of the features are designed for clear floating passage and no capsizing hydraulics. The larger hydraulics are located where shoreline access is open and available, on the west side of the channel.
Will there be whitewater paddling classes offered to help foster a whitewater paddling knowledge base locally?
Education about safe paddling is important and having a river park will provide instructional opportunities if an entity so chooses to do so. We feel enjoyment of the whitewater feature cannot fully occur without learning how to read whitewater, navigate a craft through it, and understand the risks associated with the swift water paddling. While it is not the main focus of this project, we do plan to be available to participate in local education efforts about whitewater paddling, which could be achieved through the local canoe outfitters in town, the 2 colleges in the area, and via local youth groups, to possibly include k-12 schools. We feel the paddling culture is a big part of our community and would like to leverage this project to help foster that branding and local sense of place.
How do I stay up to date on the Project?
We will be posting periodic updates to this website under the “News” section and as time allows on our Facebook page (below and at https://www.facebook.com/saranaclakeriverpark).