Portable Toilet Requirements

General Information

Wild Rogue boaters are required to carry and use a bagless, waterproof portable toilet system for removing all solid human waste and toilet paper from the river canyon. The toilet system must be large enough to accommodate the entire group for the complete length of the trip and must be made available for use by all party members. The toilet must be used when stopping at a location without a public toilet. In order to obtain a permit, May 15 through October 15, each permit holder (including lodge and self-support kayak trips) is required to present a toilet for approval during check-in at Smullin Visitor Center at Rand.

The existing public pit toilets will continue to be provided on the Wild Rogue. When toilet pits fill up, a new pit will be relocated where possible. A SCAT Machine is available at Foster Bar, May 15 through October 15, for cleaning your portable toilet. If your toilet is not the correct size or dimension for SCAT Machine use, you will need the required parts to legally dump at an RV dump station. Please use toilet paper ONLY in your portable toilet system, as baby wipes, paper towels, etc., cause the SCAT Machine to break down.

Toilet Requirements

An approved portable toilet system must be reusable, washable, water tight, and SCAT Machine or RV dump compatible. Portable toilets with snap-on lids (such as ammo cans or plastic buckets) are required to have a rubber gasket in the lid. Plastic bag liners are not acceptable with the exception of solid human waste pouches, such as WAG bags and RESTOP 2 bag systems, that are approved by the Department of Environmental Quality. Portable RV-type toilets will not be approved for use on the Rogue.

To view instructions on how to build your own toilet for kayaks or other small crafts, click here.

Suggestions for selecting and using your portable toilet system

• When selecting your toilet system, make sure it is a size and dimension that will fit in the SCAT Machine toilet cleaning system at Foster Bar (a list of suitable toilet systems follows).
• Plastic or peat liners are not acceptable. The "Wag Bag" system is acceptable.
• The size of your toilet is determined by the number of people in your group and the length of your trip. Eight uses per gallon or 1 use per pint can be used to calculate the capacity of a container. A five gallon plastic bucket will hold 40 person-days of feces. Thus, one bucket will accommodate 10 people on a 4 day trip or 20 people on a 2 day trip.
• Select a toilet deodorizer that does not contain formaldehyde, which can damage the septic system.
• As a rule of thumb, only "deposit" items into the toilet that you would in a regular flushing system: no garbage, fire pan debris, paper towels, baby wipes, handi-wipes, feminine napkins or tampons.
• You may want to have a hand washing bucket set up close by. Quick lime should be sprinkled in the toilet after each use. Close the toilet or cover with a plastic bag to discourage flies and other insects.

Known SCAT Machine compatible toilet systems and deodorizers*

Toilets

• 20 mm Ammunition Cans - 50 user days
• 5 Gallon Plastic Bucket - 40 user days
• Jon-ny Partner - 50-60 user days
• The SCAT Machine Toilet
• The SCAT Packer - 40 user days
• Eco-Safe Toilet Systems - 50 user days (ammo box), 20 user days (boom box)

Deodorizers

• Pine-Sol
• First Round Knock Out
• Bio-Balance RM-41
• RTB 780

* Other systems may be compatible, as long as they are similar in size and dimension to these systems recommended by the makers of the SCAT Machine.

SCAT Machine Use

Helpful tips to make your SCAT Machine experience go smoothly:

• Coat the bottom and first six inches up the side of the toilet with a pine-oil cleaner or get the inside wet prior to initial use to help the cleaning process.
• Try to minimize urine in the toilet on extended day trips particularly when the same toilet will be used repeatedly. Because the Rogue is a high volume river, urinating directly into flowing water in the river is recommended. To avoid wet feet, urinate into a bucket and later dump the contents into the main current, not into an eddy.
• On the morning of take-out, pour a bucket of water in your toilet. This will help loosen materials and makes it easier to clean your toilet in the SCAT Machine.
• Bring your own straps for SCAT Machine use. For rectangular toilets, 2 straps are needed and should be long enough to reach from each handle to the base and back up again. For bucket style toilets, a single strap is required and needs to be at least 4 feet in length.
• The SCAT Machine will cost $1.00 (either bills or quarters) to run. You may want to bring change to avoid hassles with soggy bills.
• Remember: Only bodily functions and toilet paper go in your toilet system. Other items will clog the septic system and may break the SCAT Machine.

Local RV Dump Stations

• Quosatana Campground (Forest Service Road 33, on the way to Gold Beach)
• Rest Area across from Harris Beach State Park (Highway 101 near Brookings, OR)
• Rest Area near Collier Tunnel (Highway 199 near Oregon/California border)
• Gold Beach (end of 5th street)
• Indian Mary Park (Galice Road, 5 miles up river from Galice Resort)
• Powers County Park (Forest Service Road 33, north to Powers, OR)

Retailers where acceptable Portable Toilet Systems can be Purchased

This list of vendors is provided for your information, and is not intended to imply any endorsement by the BLM. Five gallon buckets can usually be purchased at local paint stores at a low cost; just be sure they have a gasket in the lid. Also, be sure to get a lid with a gasket with the Luggable Loo toilet system.