Drought slows Stanislaus River; but not the rafting fun

Worsening drought conditions have created slower river flows this summer, but Noah Suarez said he had just as much fun Sunday as any other time he’s rafted down the Stanislaus River near Knights Ferry.

“The water is a bit lower, but it’s a smooth current,” said 16-year-old Suarez of Ceres. “The water is nice and clear; you can see all the fish moving underneath.”

The dry weather slowed the river’s current last year, and it seems slower this summer. But it doesn’t seem to deter rafters and kayakers who just want a fun ride down the river east of Oakdale.

Oakdale-based Sunshine Rafting Adventures shortened its trips down the river to adjust for the slower flows.

Last year, the company would send rafters from Knights Ferry Recreation Area to Orange Blossom Recreation Area. Now, that river float would take about eight to 10 hours. That’s just too long, says John Brunk of Sunshine Rafting.

Rafters get antsy on a trip that long, so now they float down to Horseshoe Road Recreation Area. Brunk said rafters take about three to four hours to get there.

“We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback,” he said. “They enjoy it more when it’s only about three to four hours.”

Some might think news of drought conditions would discourage rafters, but Brunk said Sunshine Rafting is still functioning at full capacity. On Sunday, it had about 250 rafters on the river. And the company still expects to reach its peak from late June to mid-August, when it usually gets about 600 rafters each weekend.

“We still have a lot of people coming out,” Brunk said. “We haven’t seen a dramatic decrease.”

Even though the water moves slower, Brunk said, rafters enjoy the scenic route the company offers with cliffs, bluffs and wildlife. It has offered rafting trips for more than 30 years, and it boasts that this section of the Stanislaus River is one of the most rafted sections of water in Northern California.

And the water is nice and cold, Brunk says, which can offer a refreshing outing for those who want a break from the oppressively warm weather the region has experienced recently.

Authorities warn rafters, kaykers and swimmers that chilly water could create drowning hazards for some, so they recommend using a life vest when in the water. Sunshine Rafting staffers give rafters safety demonstrations before they send them out on the river, and they provide paddles and life vests to all customers.

Lower water levels could create hazards for rafters as some could get stuck with debris at the bottom of the river. Brunk says tree limbs and other debris can always be a problem, but rafters are typically fine if they stay in the center of the river on the main flow.

Suarez and his family didn’t experience any problems on the river. His uncle, Bobby Cardoza of Riverbank, was on his first rafting ride Sunday.

“It was great,” Cardoza said as they ended their float down the river. “We had some great water fights.”

Cardoza’s 9-year-old niece, Analiza Munoz of Modesto, and his 12-year-old nephew, Daniel Suarez of Riverbank, helped the group paddle their way down the river.

“Some parts were hard when we would get stuck, but we would just push ourselves off,” Daniel Suarez said. “Other than that, it was pretty awesome.”

This story was originally published June 14, 2015 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Drought slows Stanislaus River; but not the rafting fun."