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The opinions in this letter aze based on my experience in designing whitewater boating <br />parks and a long avocation as a whitewater paddler. Based on that background, I believe that the <br />Buena Vista and Salida Boating Parks are located in an ideal location and have been created with <br />ideal features to make this park an attraction to the local community, the boating community and <br />to visitors to the region. It is my opinion that at the lowest level claimed for the Buena Vista and <br />Salida boating parks the courses aze navigable and can be used for practicing basic paddling and <br />other boating skills. At high flow rates the course becomes an attraction to top level paddlers <br />and rafters and will allow these paddlers to practice for and compete in top level events. At the <br />higher flows requested, the Boating Pazks will become a whitewater amaction that is capable of <br />hosting major whitewater events. The quality of the Boating Parks will be enhanced as flows <br />increase. In fact, higher claimed flows make the Boating Pazks the recreational attraction they <br />were designed to be. If the flows are maintained at the ]ower levels, the course will be navigable <br />and have limited use. However, it will not attract a significant increase in users. In fact, most <br />users will be attracted to similar venues with higher flow rates within the region. It is my <br />opinion that the courses will be more usable, more conducive to large events and more attractive <br />to expert kayakers if the flows aze run at the higher flows requested. <br />-13- <br />