Boulder Run is below the Oldman River Dam outflow and thus has paddleable flows all summer long. Built in the era of slalom paddling, the emphasis was on eddies but there were attempts to create a number of surf waves. These were largely produced by adding concrete bridge support slabs but those were tumbled downstream with the flood of 1995 (concrete is only slightly more dense than water).

Paddlers hope that there will be an effort to re-establish some surf/play waves and there was one nice, natural sandstone feature right at the top, 'Turbo' (right below the turbine, below). However, after the work to install the turbine, some steel rebar was left behind in the sandstone - ouch!



Turbo (70 cms (above) 30 cms (below)) - rebar showing at low water (below right).




BELOW THE BOULDER RUN - Lower Oldman
Lower Oldman River

Put In - Boulder Run
Take Out - Grand Forks - Bow River confluence. Note: there are several take outs along the way including: Oldman River Bridge on Highway 785; Oldman River Bridge on Highway 2; Oldman River Bridge on Highway 811 (Fort MacCleod); Oldman River Bridge near Monarch (old Highway 3 bridge); Oldman River Bridge near Monarch (new Highway 3 bridge); Oldman River Bridge near Kipp (highway 509); Popson Park (West Lethbridge); Lethbridge weir; Oldman River Bridge in Lethbridge; Oldman River Bridge on Highway 845 Bridge (N of Coaldale); Oldman River Bridge on Highway 864 (N of Taber); Oldman River Bridge on Highway 36 (N of Taber) If we call the put in below the dam km zero then from the dam to lethbridge is 160 km and a further 160km to the forks (junction of the bow and oldman to form the south sask. From the dam to the next major river access (highway 2) is 56 km. There is camping here I believe. This section contains no big rapids. Only 4 small class I rapids. (at km 21, 23, 43, and 51). Note: there used to be a weir at km 35. I think it is just upstream from a red and white radio antenae that is on river right. If I am not mistaken the portage is on river left Highway 2 to fort macleod is another 3 km with one class I rapid in the middle. Fort Macleod to highway 3 bridge is 48 km and contains 3 rapids. Both class II (31 km below fort macleod) which are found on river left. Highway 3 to Popson park (lethbridge) is 48 km and contains 7 class I rapids (km 0 is the bridge and the rapids are at km 0, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 27) There is a weir in lethbridge that needs to be portages. (lots of signage that you are approaching it.) Camping on river left at the highway bridge (3 km below the weir) Highway 3 bridge (camping spot) to Highway 25 bridge is 44 km with 2 class I rapids (24 and 32 km downstream from the bridge) Highway 25 to Taber provincial park is 40 km with no rapids (camping at the park) Taber provincial park to highway 36 bridge is 24 km with no rapids Highway 36 to the forks (south sask) is 28 miles and contains 2 class I rapids 16 and 17 miles below the bridge. When ever we go canoe tripping we normally cover around 30 km per day. It is not normally a long hard day but definitely an enjoyable one. We can continue that pace day after day and will take 16 days to paddle 500 km. We have paddled 50 km in one day but find that it is a long day. Distance - 316 km
Gradient - 1.5 m/km
River Grade - I
Contains Rapids - Class I
Di surfing the Pearce wave upstream from Monarch at about 18cms.