Tuolumne

As part of the River Management Society conference at Yosemite we took a field trip to Hetch Hetchy and discussion Wild and Scenic Rivers Planning and management of the river corridor and reservoir. It was an opportunity to discuss the interests of American Whitewater in a setting that included park staff and senior agency leadership involved in Wild and Scenic Rivers planning and management.

Yosemite National Park

Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Planning

NOW AVAILABLE:  THE TUOLUMNE PLANNING WORKBOOK, A WORK IN PROGRESS

This summer, the NPS  will continue discussions with the public, park

visitors, staff, stakeholders, and volunteers regarding planning  for both

the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River and Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite

National Park. To further these conversations, the NPS is releasing  the

TUOLUMNE PLANNING WORKBOOK, a compilation of all work completed on  this

planning process to date.

While release of the draft EIS for the Tuolumne River Plan and  Tuolumne

Meadows Plan will not occur until summer 2009, the NPS is providing  this

workbook as a progress report and seeking additional comments from

interested members of the public. This is a new step for planning in

Yosemite, inspired by members of the public who asked for  opportunities to

provide input on park plans DURING the plan's development.

The Tuolumne Planning Workbook contains draft descriptions of Tuolumne

River values, prescriptions for future management, and preliminary  concepts

for where and how these management prescriptions could be applied.  It also

contains a comment card and map of the Tuolumne River corridor,  suitable

for marking up and mailing back.

Hundreds of comments were received last summer during public  scoping for

these two plans, which continue to inform the planning process.  However, if

information contained in the Tuolumne Planning Workbook prompts new

thoughts on how to plan for Tuolumne Meadows, additional 'scoping'  comments

are welcome.

This is an exciting point in the process where no decisions have  been made,

but a tremendous number of ideas have been shared. Yet the NPS  planning

team is seeking more. Before heading into development of Tuolumne  River

Plan alternatives this fall, the NPS wants to take advantage of  this summer

season to get additional input.

To be considered in the alternatives development process, comments  on the

workbook must be received no later than September 15, 2007.

The workbook can be viewed online at www.nps.gov/yose/planning/trp. To

request a printed version--or submit written comments--send an email

YOSE_Planning@nps.gov, fax  209-379-1294, or mail  Yosemite  Planning, ATTN:

Tuolumne River Plan,  P.O. Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389.