Popular Rafting and Fishing Site on the Middle Fork American River
Auburn, Calif. – Good news for whitewater rafters: Improvements at Indian Bar are complete.
At its June 19 meeting, the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Board of Directors authorized the filing of a Notice of Completion for the Indian Bar River Access Project, just in time for peak summer rafting and fishing season. Located near Foresthill, the improved site provides safer and more convenient access to one of California’s premier whitewater rafting destinations.
“Recreational use of our waterways and reservoirs is an important part of PCWA’s stewardship of the Middle Fork American River watershed,” said Director Josh Alpine, whose District 5 includes the Indian Bar project. “This site plays a key role in both public recreation and clean hydropower. These upgrades reflect PCWA’s commitment to providing safe, reliable access for recreation while continuing to support California’s clean energy needs through the Middle Fork Project.”
$1.7 million
The $1.7 million Indian Bar project improves access to the Middle Fork of the American River just downstream of the Agency’s Ralston Afterbay (Oxbow Reservoir) near Foresthill. The Ralston Afterbay Dam is located just below the confluence of the Middle Fork American and Rubicon rivers. The area below the dam, known as Indian Bar, is a popular recreation spot with picnicking, fishing, and boating.
Rafters especially love this area, accessing the Middle Fork American River at Indian Bar. The raft put in site is next to PCWA’s Oxbow Powerhouse tailrace, the channel that carries water from the powerhouse to the river’s main channel. Both private and commercial recreational whitewater rafters use this site to put their watercraft into the river during rafting season, which annually runs from May through September.
Key upgrades include:
- Expanded parking area and improved signage
- New vault toilet building and improved ventilation for existing facilities
- Improved raft launch area with retaining walls and a stainless-steel slide rail
- Enhanced drainage and earthwork
The upgrades were required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as part of PCWA’s 2020 license for the Middle Fork Project.
The PCWA Board awarded the Indian Bar construction contract to Lorang Brothers Construction, Inc., in September 2024, and work started soon afterwards. Substantial completion was achieved by April 17, meeting the terms stipulated in the FERC License. Indian Bar is now open and accessible to the public. Funding for this project came from the sale of electricity generated through the Middle Fork Project’s hydroelectric generators and allocated through PCWA’s Power Division as part of its capital projects related to FERC relicensing.
While Indian Bar is now fully open to the public, work continues on other PCWA recreational sites, most notably French Meadows Campground, which is closed for the 2025 season. Located at French Meadows Reservoir, the popular campground is currently undergoing a full site renovation with nearly $6.8 million in upgrades, including construction of new roads, campsite improvements, adding ADA-compliant restrooms and picnic tables, and replacement of the campground’s water system.
While French Meadows Campground undergoes its makeover, other PCWA campgrounds at or near French Meadows Reservoir remain open. That includes Lewis, Black Bear, Coyote Group, Gates Group, and Ahart campgrounds. Campsite reservations can be made at Recreation.gov.
