[Awclist] [Fwd: RRFW Riverwire - COMMON POOL ADOPTED ON DESCHUTES RIVER]

[Thomas Robey]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	RRFW Riverwire - COMMON POOL ADOPTED ON DESCHUTES RIVER
Date: 	Mon, 14 Mar 2005 22:37:26 -0700
From: 	Riverwire-RRFW <riverwire at rrfw.org>
Reply-To: 	<riverwire at rrfw.org>
Organization: 	River Runners for Wilderness
To: 	riverwire at rrfw.org



RRFW Riverwire – COMMON POOL ADOPTED ON DESCHUTES RIVER

March 14, 2005

A settlement agreement mandating the adoption of a common pool 
reservation system for boaters on the Deschutes River in Oregon has been 
signed by all stakeholders.

The institution of this inherently fair method of use distribution was 
supposed to begin in 1997, when use triggers set forth in the 
cooperating agencies’ management plan were exceeded. Some user groups 
and agencies, unhappy with the overturning of their set-aside 
allocations, attempted to derail the plan, resulting in the filing of a 
lawsuit by Northwest Rafter Association and local noncommercial boaters.

In anticipation of the settlement’s adoption, the Bureau of Land 
Management began converting to this reservation based system earlier in 
the year. First-come, first-serve permits will be distributed to 
applicants on 2 of the 10 recreational segments of the river. The eight 
remaining segments will be phased in by 2006. Noncommercial boaters and 
commercial guests planning to float these sections reserve a permit 
through the online calendar at www.boaterpass.com 
<http://www.boaterpass.com/>. Once an open date and entry point is 
selected, the pass is purchased. Outfitter guests must enter the 
outfitter’s license number when purchasing their pass. Outfitters may 
purchase permits for a customer, which is issued in the customer’s name.

Outfitters with historical use on the first two segments will retain 66% 
of their pre-lawsuit allocation this year, reduced to 33% next year, 
after which there will be no set-asides for any recreational group.

This truly historic breakthrough paves the way for fair access 
management of recreational rivers throughout the nation. River Runners 
for Wilderness will be closely watching this precedent-setting access 
model this season and assessing its application to the Colorado River in 
Grand Canyon.

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