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`?. <br />! <br />given activity might occur without causing obvious damage, in coinparison to <br />"optimal flows" for that activity. Although not stated, POSR Staff's belief was <br />that the flow ranges presented in the "optimal flows" column represented those <br />flows necessary for a reasonable recreational experience. <br />The "optimal flow" ranges presented in Table 2 represent the consensus input of <br />POSR Staff, the Citizens Advisory Committee (which included the T&R <br />Committee members), commercial river outfitters, and CDOW staff as to what <br />constitutes the flow necessary to conduct the specific activity in a safe, enjoyable <br />manner and therefore could be construed as representing the recommendations of <br />the most knowledgeable individuals as to what flows are needed for a reasonable <br />recreation experience. The optimal flow recommendations represent hundreds of <br />man hours of deliberation and discussion among the most knowledgeable river <br />recreation experts in the Yampa Valley who collectively represent several <br />hundred years worth of local expertise regarding all aspects of recreational uses <br />on the Yampa River. <br />• The differences between the "optirnal flows" column of Table 2 and the <br />"recommended flows" row in the table entitled "Recommended Flows vs. <br />Average Flows By Time Period" are that the Recommended Flows table reflects <br />the consensus input of the Citizens Advisory Committee and commercial river <br />outfitters as to the minimum flows required for a reasonable recreation experience <br />and the minimum duration of those flows. The flows specified in the bottom table <br />are the group's collective recommendation on what flows should be requested in a <br />RICD application. <br />3. Suitability of Structures <br />In my capac:ty as Open Space Supervisor for the City of Steamboat Springs, I have made <br />dozens of observations of various recreational uses in both the D and Charlie's Holes. I <br />have also spoken with dozens of recreational users including kayakers, canoers, tubers, <br />rafters, swimmers, and fisherman specifically about their experiences while recreating in <br />or near the boating course. In addition, I have sought feedback from the owners and <br />operators of commercial river outf tters about the level of satisfaction that their customers <br />express regarding various recreational uses. Based on all this information, I am of the <br />opinion that the D and Charlie's Holes function as designed to provide appropriate types <br />of recreational experiences for different types of users at different water levels. I have <br />observed kayakers playing in one or the other structures at flow levels ranging up to <br />several thousand cfs. I have observed numerous tubers, both private and commercial, <br />ride through the structures at lower flows, take out immediately below them and walk <br />back upstream to run them again. I have also observed rafters doing the same thing at <br />higher flows. <br />Page 2 5/19/2004