State consultants are visiting Jackson County to prepare for outreach efforts later this spring that could lead to restrictions on jet boat tours on the Rogue River near TouVelle State Recreation Site.

Some jet boat opponents, including riverfront property owners, are calling for a ban on the boats.

About 14,000 people booked tours last year with Rogue Jet Boat Adventures, which has operated on the river for 13 years in an area about 5 miles upstream and downstream of TouVelle, north of Medford.

Eliot Feenstra, project lead for state consultant Oregon’s Kitchen Table, has met or plans to meet in the next week with representatives of groups whose interests include fishing, rafting, conservation, tourism and economic development, in addition to local governments, jet boat company operators and property owners.

The outreach effort concerns a stretch of the river from the dam at Lost Creek Lake to the former Gold Ray Dam near Lower Table Rock. River users there include fishermen, boaters, rafters and riverfront park visitors.

The goal of the outreach effort, Feenstra told Jackson County commissioners on Tuesday, is to engage people “about their desires, vision and beliefs for resource management and natural resources protection on this stretch of the river.”

Commissioners urged Feenstra to get a broad sampling of public opinion.

“Make sure you have that diversity,” Commissioner Rick Dyer said.

Outreach would take place mainly in May and June at events and gatherings, as well as online and via surveys. A report summarizing comments would follow by August. What happens after that would be up to the state agencies.

“We’re not the decision maker, but our goal is to create ways for a really broad range of people to participate in this process and be heard,” Feenstra said.

Oregon’s Kitchen Table, affiliated with the National Policy Consensus Center at Portland State University, was hired to gather public opinion on behalf of four state agencies responsible for parks, river patrols, state lands and fish and wildlife.

The outreach effort was prompted by complaints and concerns about jet boat noise, speeds, shoreline damage and impacts to fish and wildlife. The extent of any damage is unclear, and the company has never been cited for unsafe operations, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Upper Rogue Guardians, a group that includes riverfront property owners near Eagle Point, has been vocal in opposition.

Rogue Jetboat Adventures, operated by Taylor and Emily Grimes, runs boats near the Table Rocks and upstream past the Ken Denman Wildlife Area. The boats also run past a half-mile-long stretch that includes riverfront homes near Eagle Point. About 14,000 people booked tours last year, according to the company, which operates three boats that carry from 10 to 25 passengers.

The boats are blocked by Rattlesnake Rapids from going farther upstream, before they get to Dodge Bridge and Shady Cove. The river upstream of the bridge is where the most sensitive spring Chinook spawning habitat is located, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

When Oregon State Parks conducted a survey in late 2022 about a possible jet boat concession at TouVelle, it received in excess of 1,600 responses. The agency opted not to pursue a formal concession agreement, although the company still uses the park to load and unload passengers, just like other boat operators could do.

ODFW at the time of the concession consideration suggested restrictions on boat size, the number of boats, when they could operate and where they could operate.

In the outreach to come, groups are encouraged to have their own gatherings and to report back with comments.

“Right now we’re in the process of figuring out who’s going to be hosting those conversations and events,” Feenstra said. “We’re asking people, ‘What events should we be tabling at?’”

“We want everyone to be able to host a conversation. You can have a strong opinion and get together with other people who share your opinion and we want to hear from you. That’s a welcome part of the process.”

Though concerns about jet boats prompted the outreach, Fenstra said people who are surveyed won’t be asked directly to say yay or nay to jet boats, but instead will be asked about their experiences with the river and their views about its management and protection.

“We’re not asking people directly, ‘Jet boats: Yes or no?’” Feenstra said. “This is a broader process.”

“It helps these agencies align their future decision making. It’s useful beyond the next year or two. It helps them know what the community wants and even helps folks in the community to hear from each other.”

Commissioner Colleen Roberts suggested that the public be asked directly about jet boats.

“I think they should know,” she said. “Do they want multi-use on the river or no? I think that is what is being proposed here or not. That’s what I see is the ultimate decision to be made here. It’s concerning to all of us who live in this area what’s happening on the river.”

Danny Jordan, county administrator, echoed Roberts’ statements.

“The question driving this whole thing is jet boats or no jet boats,” he said. “The status quo would not require this. There’s a push for change.”

Jordan said some of the push against jet boats was coming from wealthy riverfront property owners who have the money to organize a campaign.

“You’ve got multi-million-dollar homes,” he said. “And they don’t like it.”

Steve Lambert, county parks director, said Rogue Jetboat Adventures “is fairly well operated.”

During the last operating season, the company advertised three-hour tours leaving three times daily from the state park, launching from the north side of the river, immediately downstream from the Table Rock Road bridge. Trips go upstream to Rattlesnake Rapids about 1.5 miles below Dodge Bridge and then head downstream below Lower Table Rock. Other trips make shorter runs to the company’s Discovery Park, located across the river from Lower Table Rock. At the park, there’s a lake, concessions and picnic grounds, in addition to a concert venue and camping.

Last year near Shady Cover, there were problems with small jet boats speeding by, according to Mayor Jon Ball. Rogue Jetboat Adventures doesn’t run in the Shady Cove area.

Feenstra expects to provide the county with an engagement plan. The website for Oregon’s Kitchen Table contains guidelines for groups wanting to host gatherings. For more information, contact Feenstra at feen@pdx.edu.