The U.S. Forest Service is currently revising the forest plans for the Wenatchee, Okanogan, and Colville National Forests in eastern Washington (Forest Plan Revision Website). These plans will determine how the forests are managed for the next 10-15 years. Comments are currently being collected, and are due on December 15th, 2004, for use in the development of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that is scheduled for release in June 2005.
While the Forest Service is accepting comments to be used in the development of the plan, they have also provided an option to designate your activities and favorite places (favorite activities form). This is a great opportunity to designate some of your favorite whitewater runs to make sure they are considered in future management decisions.
As one example of why this is important, the Wenatchee National Forest recently participated in an EIS for the removal of structures that are hazards to navigation in Icicle Creek at the fish hatchery. Remarkably however the Forest Service never considered recreational kayakers as a recognized use when they evaluated this decision (this despite the fact that snowmobile recreation was considered in a document that was exclusively focused on the creek). When asked about this the Forest Service responded that whitewater kayaking was not a recognized activity in Icicle Creek. Here’s your opportunity to make sure the Forest Service is aware of the places you enjoy and that your use is considered in future management decisions over the next decade.
Well known whitewater runs on these National Forests include, but are not limited to, the following:
- American, map grid F2
- Tieton, map grid I1
- Cle Elum China Gorge, map grid G2
- Middle Cle Elum, map grid G1
- Cooper, map grid G1
- Nason Creek, map grid E2
- Rattlesnake Creek, map grid I2
- Chiwawa, map grid E2
- Little Wenatchee, map grid E2
- Tumwater Canyon, map grid F2
- Icicle Creek, map grid F2
- Mad, map grid F3
- Entiat, map grid E3
- Lost, map grid B3
- Chewuch, map grid B3
map grid locations based on forest map provided for with public scoping materials (map)