Capacity Analysis: Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness …...Capacity Analysis: Owyhee Canyonlands...
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Background: The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 designated 518,000 acres of public lands in Owyhee County, Southwestern Idaho as Wilderness and 324½ miles of southern Idaho waterways as Wild & Scenic rivers. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently preparing a Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Management Plan. In 2012, interns from BSU conducted an independent recreational public survey and capacity study. The study encompasses 16 different rivers and streams in the Owyhee Wilderness but focuses on the four most widely used by recreationists: the Bruneau, Jarbidge and both the East and South Forks of the Owyhee River. Our goal is to help the BLM maintain values of the recreational user and the qualities of Outstanding Remarkable Values in the area. Our analysis will help establish any capacity- related concerns for the BLM. Wilderness is “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain…” – National Wilderness Preservation System Recommendations: Based on the survey results, our analysis focused on important factors such as conditions of campsites, amount of litter, and improperly disposed human waste, to determine both group size and launch frequency. The table below displays capacity recommendation based on those factors. Capacity Analysis: Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers A 2013 Report by Mykal Eden and Christine Raininger, Environmental Studies & Sustainability 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec User Count Discharge (CFS) Months Flow and User Trends by Monthly Mean on the Bruneau River Mean Monthly Discharge USGS Minimun Suitable Flow USGS Maximum Suitable Flow Mean User Count 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec User Count Discharge (CFS) Months Flow and User Trends by Monthly Mean on the Jarbidge River Mean Monthly Discharge USGS Minimum Suitable Flow Mean User Count Photo Credit: Michael Melford, nationalgeographic.com Human impact and crowds will degrade wilderness experience. The Goal is to Protect and Maintain Outstanding Remarkable Values: • Scenic • Recreational • Geological • Fish and Wildlife • Historic • Cultural River Maximum Group Size Jarbidge 8 Bruneau 8 South Fork Owyhee 6 East Fork Owyhee 10 *Daily Group Maximum= 3 groups *Weekly Group Maximum= 5 groups 76% 20% 3% 1% Amount of Improperly disposed of Human Waste or Toilet Paper on the Bruneau* River Not Noticed Slight Problem Moderate Problem Big Problem 54% 23% 12% 6% 5% Require boaters to pack out human waste on the Bruneau River Strongly Favor Favor Neutral Oppose Strongly Oppose 58% 32% 9% 1% Conditions of Campsites along the Bruneau River Not noticed Slight Problem Moderate Problem Big Problem 13% 30% 16% 19% 22% Put a limit on group size on the Bruneau River Strongly Favor Favor Neutral Oppose Strongly Oppose *The Bruneau was chosen as the representative river based on highest amounts of usage and survey responses. Survey Outcomes: Suitable flows and solitude are the primary reasons for visiting these Wild & Scenic Rivers.
Transcript of Capacity Analysis: Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness …...Capacity Analysis: Owyhee Canyonlands...
Background: The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 designated 518,000 acres of public lands in Owyhee County, Southwestern Idaho as Wilderness and 324½ miles of southern Idaho waterways as Wild & Scenic rivers. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently preparing a Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River Management Plan. In 2012, interns from BSU conducted an independent recreational public survey and capacity study. The study encompasses 16 different rivers and streams in the Owyhee Wilderness but focuses on the four most widely used by recreationists: the Bruneau, Jarbidge and both the East and South Forks of the Owyhee River. Our goal is to help the BLM maintain values of the recreational user and the qualities of Outstanding Remarkable Values in the area. Our analysis will help establish any capacity-related concerns for the BLM.
Wilderness is “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain…”
– National Wilderness Preservation System
Recommendations: Based on the survey results, our analysis focused on important factors such as conditions of campsites, amount of litter, and improperly disposed human waste, to determine both group size and launch frequency. The table below displays capacity recommendation based on those factors.
Capacity Analysis: Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers A 2013 Report by Mykal Eden and Christine Raininger, Environmental Studies & Sustainability
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Use
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FS)
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Flow and User Trends by Monthly Mean on the Bruneau River
Mean Monthly Discharge USGS Minimun Suitable Flow USGS Maximum Suitable Flow Mean User Count
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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Use
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Months
Flow and User Trends by Monthly Mean on the Jarbidge River
Mean Monthly Discharge USGS Minimum Suitable Flow Mean User Count
Photo Credit: Michael Melford, nationalgeographic.com
Human impact and crowds will degrade wilderness experience.
The Goal is to Protect and Maintain Outstanding Remarkable Values: • Scenic • Recreational • Geological • Fish and Wildlife • Historic • Cultural
River Maximum
Group Size
Jarbidge 8
Bruneau 8
South Fork Owyhee 6
East Fork Owyhee 10
*Daily Group Maximum= 3 groups *Weekly Group Maximum= 5 groups
76%
20%
3% 1%
Amount of Improperly disposed of Human
Waste or Toilet Paper on the Bruneau* River
Not Noticed
Slight Problem
Moderate Problem
Big Problem
54%
23%
12%
6% 5%
Require boaters to pack out human waste on the
Bruneau River
Strongly Favor
Favor
Neutral
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
58%
32%
9%
1%
Conditions of Campsites along the Bruneau River
Not noticed
Slight Problem
Moderate Problem
Big Problem
13%
30%
16%
19%
22%
Put a limit on group size on the Bruneau River
Strongly Favor Favor
Neutral
Oppose
Strongly Oppose
*The Bruneau was chosen as the representative river based on highest amounts of usage and survey responses.
Survey Outcomes: Suitable flows and solitude are the primary
reasons for visiting these Wild & Scenic Rivers.
