Boating Hazard Removal

One of the most rewarding jobs we do at Blue Ridge Timber Cutting is removing dangerous boating hazards to improve public safety. Most often these hazards appear in the form of trees swept into the river through natural erosion as streams slowly change course.

Each job is different as we work with clients like the Oregon State Marine Board, Union Pacific Railroad, BLM or the US Forest Service to address the pressing concern that a log jam or large tree with root wad attached can present. Unfortunately, lives are lost each year on our rivers and some of these deaths can be avoided by removing the obstacles that can cause boats to capsize, paddle boards to dive under and even those wearing lifejackets to be pinned under water in the rushing current.

We have decades of experience moving big wood in streams with our specialized winch trucks, which makes us the ideal contractor for mitigating in-stream hazards. We can do these jobs with a relatively low mobilization cost while providing long reach with a minimum of impact to the stream bed and surrounding environment.

Our extensive experience removing these hazards also means we can give you a bid and promptly mobilize one of our trucks.

Don’t let potential boating hazards claim another life. Call Mark Villers at 541-290-9650

McKenzie River rafting

Customers on a McKenzie River guided raft trip trust that river rangers are helping to make it as safe as possible.

root wad removal on Willamette river

The Blue Ridge crew rig a root wad and tree trunk that caused the death of two boaters on the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.

Blue Ridge's PR specialist Larry Walton explains to the media the process of removing a dangerous root wad from the Willamette River

Blue Ridge’s PR specialist Larry Walton explains to the media the process of removing a dangerous root wad from the Willamette River.

Divers from the Lane County Sheriff's department are on standby as the Blue Ridge crew rigs a dangerous rood wad for removal.

Divers from the Lane County Sheriff’s department are on standby as the Blue Ridge crew rigs a dangerous rood wad for removal.

boating hazard removal

The Blue Ridge crew re-rigs a root wad and tree trunk for precise placement after removing it from the river.

A Blue Ridge crew member pulls line from one of the company's winch trucks.

A Blue Ridge crew member pulls line from one of the company’s winch trucks.

McKenzie River.

River rangers and fish biologists check the placement of a tree after Blue Ridge pulled it from the McKenzie River.

boat launch upstream from a hazard log on the McKenzie River.

A sign warning of the tree removal operation was posted by river authorities at a boat launch upstream from a hazard log on the McKenzie River.