[Awclist] [Fwd: RRFW Riverwire - LEES FERRY TO UNDERGO MAKEOVER]

[Thomas Robey]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	RRFW Riverwire - LEES FERRY TO UNDERGO MAKEOVER
Date: 	Mon, 8 Jan 2007 16:04:05 -0700
From: 	Riverwire <riverwire at rrfw.org>
Organization: 	River Runners for Wilderness
To: 	<riverwire at rrfw.org>



RRFW Riverwire – LEES FERRY TO UNDERGO MAKEOVER

January 8, 2007

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area managers have approved a makeover 
of the Lees Ferry area of Glen Canyon. The multimillion dollar 
improvements will occur over the next five to seven years as funding 
becomes available.

The Lees Ferry area of Glen Canyon is the starting point for 
recreational river running through Grand Canyon National Park. Lees 
Ferry also serves as the only point of access for recreational boaters 
to the last 14 miles of the un-flooded Glen Canyon, downstream of Glen 
Canyon Dam.

According to the recently released National Park Service’s Finding of No 
Significant Impact, the following projects will be implemented over the 
next 5 to 7 years as funding becomes available:

- Rehabilitate Roadside Drainage Structures Located along Lees Ferry 
Access Road, including Cathedral Wash and No Name Wash. This project 
will replace eroded culverts and create improved drainage patterns to 
help control erosion of the existing roadway.

- Lees Ferry Compound Upgrade. This project will replace the existing 
Grand Canyon NP visitor contact station, add updated maintenance 
buildings and covered parking for boats and other equipment. It will 
also replace the dated water treatment facility.

- Remove Curb at Graded Raft Launch Ramp. This project will remove a 
length of curb that is obstructing unloading of float equipment for 
private parties heading downriver through Grand Canyon NP.

- Replacement of Floating Courtesy Dock. This project will demolish the 
existing courtesy dock, which is in poor repair and replace it with a 
new dock in the same location.

- Replacement of Potable Water Intake at the Colorado River. This 
project will remove the existing water intake pipe that has been 
corroded over time by mineralization in the water from the Colorado River.

- Install Narrowband Repeater for Grand Canyon National Park on the 
Paria Plateau Overlooking Lonely Dell Ranch. This project will replace 
the existing underpowered, under range solar powered wide band radio 
repeater with a new permanent, electrically powered repeater. The 
project includes the construction of a small building to house essential 
equipment, a 40 to 60 foot tower with antenna, overhead electrical 
service from nearby electrical lines and installation of a small section 
of new primitive road to access site from existing road.

- Establish the Arizona Road Hiking Trail. This project will include 
placement of permanent posts to mark path of trail, trail construction 
to improve visitor safety and creation of a brochure and interpretive 
plan for the trail.

- Stabilization of erosion of the Paria River bank. This project will be 
conducted in phases. The first phase will be a complete hydrological 
study of the affected area and identification of possible construction 
scenarios. The second phase would construct the scenario that would have 
the least amount of impacts and control erosion and protect the bridge 
that crosses the Paria River and the road to Lonely Dell Ranch.

- Replacement of the USGS Gauging Station on the Paria River. This 
project would construct a new gauging station across the Paria River 
from the existing largely nonfunctional gauging station. The existing 
gauging station, which has been in place since 1922, will remain as a 
part of the Lees Ferry Lonely Dell Historic District.

The entire Environmental Assessment can be seen online at:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?parkID=62&projectId=15125 
<http://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?parkID=62&projectId=15125>

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