9.16.2002 Report
In recent days, AW has received several reports that the Salt River is in fact closed and that
it has not actually been reopened from
Apache Falls to Roosevelt Lake as I
previously reported.
According to Chief Ranger Jeff Cheney at the Fort Apache Tribal Office Department of Fish and Game,
boating on the Salt is closed, as is camping in the west end area due to fire restrictions. The
closure order came down from the Tribal Council's Chairman.
I called Reno Johnson in the Chairman's Office (928-338-4346x381) and left a message. When I learn
more, or hear back from Mr. Johnson, I will post an update. Unfortunately, our staff will not be
able to look further into the situation until returning from our fall board meeting at the Gauley
in late September.
9.3.2002 Report
The Apache Tribe closed access to the Salt River Canyon for several weeks this summer "due to
fire restrictions". However when I spoke with the Fort Apache Tribal Office Department of Fish and
Game (928-338-4385) today (September 3, 2002), their representative told me that the river has been
reopened.
As you can imagine, there is little whitewater in Arizona at this time of year. The Salt River
Canyon is the exception to the rule and has been flowing almost the entire summer. Since visitors
generally have to access the canyon via tribal lands the closure was particularly painful to the
local boating community.
If you learn that access to the Salt is being denied, please contact me and I'll see what we can do
to work with the tribe and protect your ability to enjoy this Arizona gem while meeting the tribe's
concerns.
