We are the National Park Service Final Prese… · National Park Service Grand Canyon National Park...

Colorado River Management PlanU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service

Grand Canyon National Park

“The Colorado River Management Plan is primarily a visitor use management plan that specifies actions to conserve park resources and visitor experience while enhancing recreational opportunities on

the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park”



Proposed Wilderness: 1.1 million acres



Colorado River Use: exploration to recreation

1938: First Commercial Trip 1955: Military Surplus Rafts + Outboard Motors



0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

Visi

tors

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

TOTAL USE

Commercial use

Non-commercial use

Recreational Use 1960 - 2002



1970s Comprehensive Research Program: 1970s Comprehensive Research Program: Ecological & Visitor Use StudiesEcological & Visitor Use Studies1979 CRMP1979 CRMP established capacity & adopts a established capacity & adopts a launchlaunch--based systembased system

Glen Canyon Dam StudiesGlen Canyon Dam StudiesNPS monitoring: campsite condition, visitor NPS monitoring: campsite condition, visitor experience, archeological sitesexperience, archeological sites1998 visitor use study 1998 visitor use study Campsite Inventories Campsite Inventories

2006 CRMP2006 CRMP established capacity & adopts a established capacity & adopts a launchlaunch--based systembased system

Research, Social Science, Monitoring & Planning Research, Social Science, Monitoring & Planning



Zone 1 (Lees Ferry -Diamond Creek):• Prim itive

Zone 2 (Diamond Creek – RM 260:• Prim itive to sem i-prim itive

Zone 4 (RM 277 – Lake Mead)• Rural-natural to urban

Zone 3 (RM 260 – RM 277 GRCA/LAME boundary):• Rural-natural

Provide a range of opportunities and experiences



Temporal Recreation Opportunity Spectrum

Summer: May – August

Higher use density: 5-6 launches/day

16-day trip ** 32 people

Mixed use Motor & Nonmotorized trips

Shoulder: March – April and Sept - October

Low-Moderate use: 2-3 launches/day

21-day trip ** 24 people

Mixed use: 1 ½ months + No-motors: 2 ½ months

Winter: Jan-February and Nov-December

Low use: 1 launch/day

25-day max. ** 16 people/trip ** No-motors Solitary

Social



Glen Canyon Dam operationsGlen Canyon Dam operationsPower GenerationPower Generation

Effects on Downstream ResourcesEffects on Downstream Resources

Sediment starved Sediment starved –– beachesbeaches

Water Temps Water Temps –– native fishesnative fishes

Riparian vegetationRiparian vegetation

The MonsterThe Monster



Weeden, 1974 NPS, 2006



2006 CRMP Framework

• Number, size, distribution of beaches

• Resource conditions

• Social conditions and wilderness experience variables including on-river, campsite, and attraction site encounters

1952

1995



How many? Where? What size?

1952

1995

Campsite Quantity and Quality

What is the physical capacity of the river corridor?

How does this affect visitor experience?

Campsite competitionNear attractions

Opportunities for solitude?



Camping Beaches: How Many and How Big?

58

97

176

333

0

114

324

438

45

93

88

226

Small camps<12 people

Medium camps13-24 people

Large camps>24 people

Total

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500Number of camps (Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek)

197319831991

No data



Camping Beaches: Where are they?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

0

0.5

1

1.5

2Camps per mile

All primary + secondary campsLarge & medium primary camps

Little C

olorado 6

1

Diamond C

reek 2

26

Elves C

hasm 11

6

Phantom 88

Deer C

reek 1

36Hav

asu 15

6Lav

a Fall

s 179

Whitmore

187

Crystal

98

Redwall

33

House R

ock 17

Hance

77

Fossil 1

25



Use measures: what is meaningful?

What + When + WhereUnits: people, trips, flights, userdays

Timing: at one time, per day, week…

Location: zone 1, specific sites, etc

WhyMeasure effects on visitor experience: campsite competition, crowding, encounters



Trips at One Time (TAOT):

number of launches + trip duration(effects: encounters, campsite competition)

Daily launches: the type & number of trips entering the system

People at One Time (PAOT):

launches + trip duration + group size

(effects: encounters, campsite competition, vegetation trampling, arch site disturbance)



The supply and distribution of camping beaches (campsite inventories)

Visitor use patterns & preferences

-data from visitor use studies

trip logs, encounter data

-NPS monitoring programs

Trips at One Time (TAOT)

“60”



Use Measurements & VariablesUse Measurements & VariablesOld Plan (1989) New Plan (2006)

Daily Launches 166 people/day – summer (4-9 trips/day)52 people/day – all other

5-6 trips/day – summer2-4 trips/day – shoulder1 trips/day - winter

Group SizeCommercial

Noncommercial

36 passengers + guides

16 people

32 includes guides – summer24 includes guides – shoulder

16 people + small 8 person tripTrip Length 18 summer

18-21 shoulder30 winter

10-16 summer (motors/oars)21 shoulder25 winter

TAOT 70 60



Launch Limits:Daily & Seasonal

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

Jan Feb Mar Apr1-15

Apr16-30

May Jun Jul Aug Sep1-15

Sep16-30

Oct Nov Dec

Month

Laun

ches

Non-commercial (small) Non-commercial (std) Commercial oar Commercial motor

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

Jan Feb Mar Apr1-15

Apr16-30

May Jun Jul Aug Sep1-15

Sep16-30

Oct Nov Dec

Month

Laun

ches

Non-commercial (small) Non-commercial (std) Commercial Oar Commercial motor

1988 - 2006

2007 - 2016

Max # trips/day



How do river users affect park resources in the Colorado River Corridor?

(Stressors)

Resources Monitoring ProgramResources Monitoring Program

EffectsResource Damage

Site Disturbance

Quality Degradation

Crowding & Congestion

Natural ResourcesSoils

Water QualityWildlife

VegetationAir Quality

Wilderness Character

Cultural Resources

Historic SitesPrehistoric Sites

Traditional Cultural Properties

Visitor Experience

Recreation QualityRange of Services



Monitoring Campsite Condition

Mapping “campable” area

Documenting impacts – social trails, barren core areas in desert zone

Tool for planning rehabilitation



Resource Conservation ProgramResource Conservation ProgramProjects/site treatments are determined through monitoring programs

Impacts include: campsite proliferation in OHWZ, social trailing, vegetation damage, trail erosion, archeological site damage, etc.

Treatments include: trail delineation & repair, revegetation of social trails and OHWZ campsites, archeological site mitigations, etc.



Resource Monitoring ProgramsResource Monitoring Programs

Visitor Experience Monitoring Program Quality of visitor experience (temporal & spatial)

On site impacts: River encounters, Attraction site encounters, campsite competition, passenger exchange locations (PHA/WHI), launch/take-out congestion, safety

Off-site impacts: permit system, use statistics, etc.

Develop new baseline conditions for new CRMP

Help determine management actions needed to address unacceptable social conditions


Grand Canyon National ParkEnough scouting boys, let’s run the gut.

Any Questions?

Yeah, where’d you get that hat

Georgie?

I’m Scared

We are the National Park Service Final Prese… · National Park Service Grand Canyon National Park...

Documents

Transcript of We are the National Park Service Final Prese… · National Park Service Grand Canyon National Park...