2006 Colorado River Management Plan - National Park
National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the InteriorGrand Canyon National ParkGrand Canyon, ArizonaColorado River Management Plan2 Colorado River Management Plan
Grand CanyonColorado River Management PlanGrand Canyon National ParkP.O. Box 129Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023Produced by the Office of Planning and ComplianceGrand Canyon National ParkU.S. Department of the InteriorApproved:SuperintendentLunch stop along the Colorado RiverDate:
ContentsIntroduction 1Background 1Overview 2Description of the Management Area 2Management Direction 4Introduction 4Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek (Zone 1) 4River Use Allocation 4Recreational Use Levels and Distribution 5Launch Management System 10Launch Patterns 10Launch Scheduling 10Commercial and Noncommercial Operating Requirements 11Lower Gorge River Management (Zones 2 and 3) 12River Use Allocation 12Recreational Use Limits for River Trips Launching from Diamond Creek 12Upriver Travel from Lake Mead 13Quartermaster Area Operations 13Commercial and Noncommercial Operating Requirements 13Resources Monitoring, Mitigation and Adaptive Management Overview 13Noncommercial Permit System 14Introduction 14Transition from Waitlist to Weighted Lottery System 14The Weighted Lottery System 14Overview 14How the Weighted Lottery System Works 14Monitoring and Adaptive Management of the Noncommercial Permit System 15Education and Outreach 16Website and DVD 16Campsite Atlas 16Education Initiatives Related to Culturally Affiliated Indian Tribes 16River Management Responsibilities 18Introduction 18Resources Management 18River Operations and Permits 18Visitor Education 19Trails and Facilities 19Planning and Compliance 19Commercial Services 19Lower Gorge River Operations and Management (Diamond Creek to Lake Mead) 20Administrative River Use 22Introduction 22Administrative Trip Procedures 22Minimum-Requirement Analysis 22Administrative Trip Types and Procedures 22
Research, Monitoring and Mitigation Program 26Introduction 26Colorado River Management Settings 26Program Objectives 28Recreation Effects Conceptual Model 28Limits of Acceptable Change Framework 28Adaptive Management 31Mitigation Actions and Legal Obligations 32Natural Resources 32USFWS Biological Opinion 32EPA Water Quality 33Cultural Resources 33Programmatic Agreement 33List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 34AppendicesAppendices to this document are found in a separate file at www.nps.gov/grcaA CRMP Record of DecisionB Sample Recreational Launch CalendarC Commercial Operating Requirements (All Zones)D Noncommercial River-Trip Regulations (All Zones)E Lower Gorge Commercial Operating Requirements (Zones 2 and 3)F Minimum-Requirement Analysis FormG Protocol for Administrative River Trips Standard Operating ProceduresH Programmatic AgreementReferences 35List of Preparers 35Maps1 Grand Canyon River Management Zones4Tables1 Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek (Zone 1) Component Summary 52 Key CRMP Changes In Visitor Use Levels and Distribution (Zone 1) 63 Comparison of Use Levels by Season: Number of Recreational Launches (Zone 1)4 Comparison of Use Levels by Season: Number of Recreational Users (Zone 1) 85 Comparison of Use Levels by Season: Recreational User Days (Zone 1) 96 Daily Launches by Trip Type per Season (Zone 1) 117 Diamond Creek Launch Limits and Group Size (Zones 2 and 3) 128 Lower Gorge Trip Length Limits (Zones 2 and 3) 139 Education Topics and Initiatives (All Zones) 1710 Implementation Elements, Responsible Office and Timeframe 2111 Administrative River-Trip Types 2312 Setting Characteristics for Colorado River Management Zonesbased on the ROS Classification System 2713 Examples of Monitoring Plan Matrix 307Figures1 Relationship of Colorado River Management Plan and Implementation Planning Documents2 Allowable Launches Per Day, Lees Ferry 103 Recreation Effects Conceptual Model 284 Campsite Condition Monitoring, Conceptual Model 295 Adaptive Management Concept 311
IntroductionThis 2006 Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP) is a visitor use management plan that specifies actions to conserve park resources and visitor experiences while enhancing river running recreational opportunities on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA).This document also provides overall guidance for implementing the 2006CRMP by 1) describing the management decisions and actions analyzed in the2005 Final Environmental Impact Statement/Colorado River ManagementPlan (CRMP FEIS) and mandated by the 2006 CRMP Record of Decision(CRMP ROD), and 2) providing frameworks for how those decisions will beimplemented.BackgroundThis 2006 CRMP replaces the 1989 CRMP as thevisitor use management plan for the ColoradoRiver through Grand Canyon National Park.This CRMP is intended to have a life of at leastten years. This document describes managementdecisions set by the CRMP ROD, and describesimplementation strategies and programs. Thisplan includes the launch-based system of managing river use for the Lees Ferry to DiamondCreek section, a Lower Gorge river managementplan, the noncommercial river permit system,protocols for managing administrative trips, anda framework for a resource education, monitoring, and mitigation program.The CRMP FEIS dated November 2005 addressed long-standing and recent issues identified by the NPS and the public concerningvisitor-use levels, resource preservation andwilderness character; quality of visitor experience; allocation of use between commercial andnoncommercial groups; levels of motorized use;and the noncommercial permit system.The CRMP Record of Decision signed onFebruary 17, 2006 (Appendix A) is the legaldecision document for this CRMP, completingthe environmental compliance process underthe National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).The CRMP ROD summarized elements of thefinal decision, and described public and agencyinvolvement, the decision-making process, thestatement of decision, the basis for the decision,and findings on impairment of park resourcesand values. Figure 1 summarizes the relationshipof this CRMP and other implementation documents.Figure 1Relationship of CRMP and Implementation Planning DocumentsRecord of DecisionCRMP ROD2006Research, Monitoringand Mitigation Program2006 CRMPThis DocumentCommercialOperating RequirementsNoncommercialRiver Trip RegulationsCultural and NaturalResources, and VisitorExperience Monitoring PlansAdministrative River TripStandard OperatingProceduresNPS Research, Education,and Partnership ProgramsElves ChasmGrand Canyon National Park 1
OverviewSolitude at Deer Creek FallsColorado River Management Vision StatementThe Colorado River corridor in Grand Canyon National Park will be managedto provide a wilderness river experience in which visitors can intimately relateto the majesty of the Grand Canyon and its natural and cultural resources.Visitors traveling through the canyon on the Colorado River will have theopportunity for a variety of personal outdoor experiences, ranging fromsolitary to social, with as little influence from the modern world as possible.The Colorado River corridor will be protected and preserved in a wild andprimitive condition.Description of the Management AreaThe management area includes the 277-mileColorado River corridor as it passes throughGrand Canyon National Park in northwesternArizona. The Colorado River in Grand Canyon provides a unique combination of thrillingwhitewater adventure and magnificent vistas of aremarkable geologic landscape including remoteand intimate side canyons. The river is a corridorof desert and riparian habitats a mile beneath therim’s coniferous forests. Plants and animals inhabiting the inner canyon are beautifully adaptedto the canyon environment. The river corridoralso holds hundreds of archeological and historical sites, evidence of long human occupation.Over 1.1 million acres of GRCA is proposedfor wilderness designation, and approximately29,280 acres have been identified as potentialwilderness including the Colorado River corridor. In accordance with NPS policy, GRCAwill manage proposed and potential wildernessas wilderness until Congress acts to designate orremove it from consideration.Distance along the river corridor is measured inriver miles (RM), beginning near GRCA’s easternboundary at Lees Ferry with RM 0, and endingnear GRCA’s western boundary at the GrandWash Cliffs with RM 277. Most river trips beginat Lees Ferry, approximately one mile upstreamfrom GRCA’s boundary, in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA). Most trips end atthe only place within the 277-mile river corridorwhere boats can be de-rigged and transportedout of the steep-walled canyon: Diamond CreekRM 226 (via the Diamond Creek Road across theHualapai Reservation).The fifty-one miles of river from below DiamondCreek (RM 226) to the river’s entry into LakeMead (RM 277) is called the Lower Gorge. Rivertrips continuing past or beginning at DiamondCreek take out at South Cove on Lake Mead, 18miles beyond Grand Wash Cliffs. Prior to 2001,trips took out at Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead,three miles beyond Grand Wash Cliffs. Drought2 Colorado River Management Planconditions and low water levels beginning in 2001and continuing to the present (2006) have madethe Pearce Ferry takeout inaccessible.A variety of river trips are available on theColorado River through Grand Canyon, anddiffer by craft, trip type, duration, season, groupsize and other variables. Visitors may participateon an outfitter-guided trip (commercial) or aself-guided (noncommercial) trip and travel onmotorized or nonmotorized rafts. On a motorized trip, boats are powered by 25- to 40-horsepower, four-stroke engines, and each boat typically carries 8 to 23 people. Nonmotorized tripsare human powered by oar or paddle. Commonnonmotorized craft include rafts, dories, kayaksand catarafts. Additionally, on motor-supportedtrips (also known as hybrid trips) predominanttransportation is human powered (oar or paddleboat), but a motorized vessel(s) is used to carrygear (only during motor months). Although atleast one vessel on these trips is motorized, thegroup is allowed to move only at the speed (triplength) of a nonmotorized trip. Conversely, apermit holder or commercial operator is not allowed to add a paddle or oar boat to a motorizedtrip for the purpose of traveling at the nonmotorized trip speed.Depending on the type of trip and season, visitors may participate in trips up to 16 days in summer and 25 days in winter. River trip participantsdesiring shorter trips may leave or enter the canyon along various routes. Noncommercial tripparticipants can hike in or out anywhere in thecanyon, but most exchange at Phantom Ranch(RM 88) via the Bright Angel or South KaibabTrails. Commercial passengers launching at LeesFerry may only exchange at Phantom Ranch orWhitmore (RM 187).Types and levels of recreational use in the LowerGorge vary greatly from those above DiamondCreek (RM 226), primarily due to road andboat access to the river by way of the HualapaiReservation and Lake Mead. Lower Gorge tripsinclude commercial day and overnight trips runby the Hualapai Tribe, as well as noncommercial
Sunrise at 202overnight trips, trips continuing from Lees Ferryand trips traveling upriver from Lake Mead.Trips run by the Hualapai Tribe disembark andoccasionally exchange passengers via helicopterin the Quartermaster Canyon area (RM 262.5).Passengers are also flown in from Grand CanyonWest on the Hualapai Reservation to the launchfacilities at the Quartermaster Canyon area totake a short pontoon-boat tour. Helicopter tripsfrom Grand Canyon West occur over Hualapailand; the National Park Service (NPS) has noauthority over transportation options locatedoutside the park boundary.yon. The Hualapai Indian Reservation bordersthe river corridor for approximately 108 milesfrom upstream of National Canyon (RM 164.5)to approximately RM 273. Coordination withthese park neighbors is necessary to addressresource-management and visitor-use concernsalong shared NPS/tribal boundaries. Accesspermits from the Navajo Nation, Havasupai Tribeor Hualapai Tribe are required by each respectivetribe to access that tribe’s lands.The planning area includes over 200 campingbeaches and numerous attractions along the rivercorridor. Attraction sites include side canyons(particularly those with perennial streamflow),archeological and paleontological sites, historic locations and properties, caves, waterfalls,springs and hiking trails. Most recreational useoccurs close to the river; however, river runnersoften explore side canyons within the park’sbackcountry and may venture beyond the parkboundary onto adjacent tribal or non-NPS federal lands where permits may be required.The Colorado River corridor borders tribal landsfor nearly half the distance from the put-in atLees Ferry to the last take-out on Lake Mead.The Navajo Indian Reservation borders GRCAalong the eastern bank of the Colorado Riverfrom RM 0 (zero) near Lees Ferry to RM 61.5 atthe confluence with the Little Colorado River.The Havasupai Indian Reservation boundaryalong the river corridor is within Havasu CanGrand Canyon National Park 3
ManagementDirectionIntroductionFor the purposes of the 2006 CRMP, the Colorado River is divided into two geographic sections: 1) the Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek sectionand 2) the Lower Gorge (Diamond Creek to LakeMead). These sections were further divided intomanagement zones (Map 1) established to represent diversity of recreational settings and opportunities in different river reaches as follows:Zone 1Hiking along the Colorado River nearPalisades of the DesertLees Ferry to Diamond Creek(RM 0 to RM 226)Zone 2 Diamond Creek to QuartermasterCanyon (RM 226 to RM 260)Zone 3 Quartermaster Canyon to Lake MeadNRA boundary (RM 260 to RM 277)Zone 4 GRCA boundary to Lake Mead take-outareas (RM 277 on) managed by LakeMead NRACollectively, Zones 2, 3 and 4 are considered theLower Gorge of the Colorado River. These zonesare based on Recreation Opportunity Spectrum(ROS) framework representing the diversity ofrecreational settings and opportunities. The rivermanagement zone descriptions, settings anddesired resource conditions are described in theResearch, Monitoring and Mitigation Program(RM&MP) section of this document.Map 1. Grand Canyon RiverManagement Zones4 Colorado River Management PlanThe following sections describe key managementdecisions set forth by the CRMP ROD for Zone 1,Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek and for the LowerGorge, Zones 2 and 3, Diamond Creek to LakeMead boundary.Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek (Zone 1)River Use AllocationThe split allocation system apportions recreational use between commercial and noncommercial trips. This is accomplished by establishing daily and seasonal launch limits for thevarious types of commercial and noncommercialtrips. In addition to launch limits, commercialuse is capped at 115,500 user days (e.g. one personon the river for any portion of the day). User-daylimits are not applied to noncommercial trips.Administrative use (trips that focus on scientificresearch, education, resource management,visitor protection, etc.) is not included in therecreational-use allocation.Commercial river outfitters under contract withthe NPS are authorized to provide a range of triptypes in accordance with the National Park Service Concessions Management and ImprovementAct of 1998 (16 USC 5961). Permits for noncommercial river trips are distributed through theWeighted Lottery System which replaces theformer Waitlist permit system (See Noncommercial Permit System).
Recreational Use Levels and DistributionThe 2006 CRMP prescribes management ofrecreational use by establishing limits on thenumber of daily launches, group size, trip lengthand motorized and nonmotorized use periods.The maximum commercial-group size is setat 32, and an additional small noncommercialgroup size of eight has been established. Themaximum trip length of 16 days combinedwith the even launch pattern also provides anincreased number of noncommercial launches inthe summer months (May through August). Theno-motors period extends through the winterand early spring. Whitmore exchanges will beallowed for commercial trips launching April 1through September 15. Components of the 2006CRMP are summarized in Table 1.Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 provide a detailed comparison of key changes from the 1989 CRMP (OldPlan) and 2006 CRMP (This Plan).Table 1Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek (Zone 1) Component SummaryLees Ferry to Diamond Creek Component Summary5.5 months (April 1 through September 15)Mixed-Use SeasonNo-Motor Season6.5 months (Sept 16–March 31)Whitmore Exchanges (months allowed)April-SeptMaximum Group Size (Guides included in the commercial group size)Commercial Motor and OarNoncommercial StandardNoncommercial Small32 participants (May–Aug) / 24 participants (Remainder)16 participants8 participantsMaximum Trip Length to Diamond CreekSummerShoulder SeasonsWinterCommercial MotorCommercial OarNoncommercial MotorNoncommercial Oar10 days12 daysN/A16 days18 daysN/A12 days12 daysN/A16 days18 days (Sept 1-15), 2125 days64 (April 16–30), 6 (Sept 1–15),3 (Remainder)1Maximum Number of Launches per DayEstimated Yearly TotalsEstimated MaximumsUser Days228,986Recreational users24,657Trips at One Time (TAOT)60Passengers at One Time (PAOT)985An exciting day in the canyonGrand Canyon National Park 5
Table 2Key CRMP Changes In Visitor Use Levels and Distribution (Zone 1)Use Levels and DistributionOld Plan2006 Plan22,46124,5678931,101169,950228,986March – AprilSecondarySpring ShoulderMay – aryFall ShoulderNovember – FebruarySecondaryWinterCommercial motor trips4332 (summer)24 (shoulders)Commercial oar trips3932 (summer)24 (shoulders)Noncommercial StandardNoncommercial Small16168Same for all trips:18 days:Apr 16 – Oct 1521 days:Oct 16 – Nov 30Mar 1 – Apr 1530 days:Dec 1 – Feb 2910 (summer)12 (shoulders)0 (winter)Year Round Overall UseEstimated number of recreational usersEstimated number of launchesEstimated number of user-daysSeasonal Use PeriodsMaximum Group Size (includes guides)Maximum Trip Lengths (in number of days)Commercial motor tripsCommercial oar tripsNoncommercial oar trips16 (summer)18 (shoulders)0 (winter)16 (summer)18 (Sept 1-15)21 (shoulders)25 (winter)12 (summer)12 (shoulders)0 (winter)Noncommercial motor tripsMixed Use/Nonmotorized Use PeriodsMixed-use (motorized and nonmotorized) periodDec 16 – Sept 159 monthsApr 1 – Sept 155.5 monthsNonmotorized use periodSept 16 – Dec 153 monthsSept 16 – Mar 31 6.5 monthsPhantom RanchNo restrictionsGuides required for hike in and outWhitmoreNo restrictionsApr 1- Sept 15 before 10 a.m.Passenger Exchanges6 Colorado River Management Plan
Table 3Comparison of Use Levels by Season: Number of Recreational Launches (Trips) (Zone 1)Estimated Number of Recreational Launches (Trips)Old Plan2006 PlanMaximum number of Daily Launches – Primary Season96Maximum number of Daily Launches – Shoulder Season76534476Motorized Trips417369Nonmotorized/Oar Trips117123Noncommercial Launches129185129123Summer (May – August)Commercial LaunchesStandard Group Size TripsSmall Group Size TripsTOTAL Summer Launches62663661106122Motorized Trips5660Nonmotorized/Oar Trips5062Noncommercial Launches971999718420332100Noncommercial Launches28120TOTAL Winter Launches281208931,101Shoulder (March/April & September/October)Commercial LaunchesStandard Group Size TripsSmall Group Size TripsTOTAL Shoulder Launches15Winter (November – February)Commercial LaunchesEstimated Total Recreational Trips Year RoundVermilion CliffsGrand Canyon National Park 7
Table 4Comparison of Use Levels by Season: Number of Recreational Users (Zone 1)Estimated Number of Recreational UsersOld Plan2006 8831,901Summer (May – August)Commercial PassengersMotorized TripsNonmotorized/Oar TripsNoncommercial Trip ParticipantsStandard Group Size TripsSmall Group Size TripsTOTAL Summer36918,12816,
7 Diamond Creek Launch Limits and Group Size (Zones 2 and 3) 12 8 Lower Gorge Trip Length Limits (Zones 2 and 3) 13 9 Education Topics and Initiatives (All Zones) 17 10 Implementation Elements, Responsible Office and Timeframe 21 11 Administrative River-Trip Types 23 12 Setting Characteris
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