Upper Colorado River Stakeholder Group Conceptual Plan for a Wild and Secnic Management Alternative June 30 2009

Home Browse Search

SECTION 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION A. Introduction June 30, 2008 This Conceptual Plan for a Wild and Scenic Management Alternative ( "Conceptual Plan ") lays out a framework for development of a management alternative for that area of the Colorado River below Kremmling and above Glenwood Springs. The Conceptual Plan was developed cooperatively by a group of stakeholders and consulting agencies (see listing below). The Conceptual Plan lays out the group's progress to date and intentions for additional data gathering, analysis and collaborative planning. The group will continue to work together throughout 2008 and 2009 to gather adequate information to develop more specific elements and details of the Management Plan Alternative. The goal of the group is to furnish additional information to BLM as needed to satisfy NEPA requirements supporting issuance of the Draft EIS, and to complete the detailed final Management Plan Alternative for submission to and consideration by BLM prior to its issuance of a Final EIS and Record of Decision on the final plan. Appendix A presents a Glossary for key terms referenced in this Conceptual Plan. Appendix B presents descriptions of potential flow -based protection measures that will be evaluated by the stakeholders for possible inclusion in the Management Plan Alternative. Appendix C presents a series of maps depicting Colorado River Segments 4 through 7. B. Plan Purpose and Joint Intent The Upper Colorado Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group ( "Stakeholder Group" or "SG ") is working together in good faith to develop a Management Plan Alternative that would protect the outstandingly remarkable values ( "ORVs ") as identified in the 2007 Eligibility Report issued by the Bureau of Land Management (`BLM ") for Segments 4 through 7 of the Upper Colorado River. The Management Plan Alternative will be proposed to the BLM as a potential Wild and Scenic Rivers management alternative in the BLM Resource Management Plan revision process.3 The Stakeholder Group's intention is to develop a collaborative plan that balances the following: permanent protection of the ORVs; certainty for the stakeholders; water project yield; and flexibility for land owners, management agencies and water users. C. Scope of the Management Plan Alternative The geographic scope of the Management Plan Alternative will encompass the Upper Colorado River from the top of Gore Canyon, Colorado extending downstream to a point one mile east of No Name Creek. This reach correlates with Colorado River Segments 4 through 7 as described in the BLM Wild and Scenic Eligibility Report for the Kremmling and Glenwood Springs Field Offices (See Appendix C; Figures C -1 through C -4). The Management Plan Alternative will cover BLM lands within 1/4 mile of the river, and may also cover land owned by or within the jurisdiction of state, local and private interests within the river corridor with the consent of those 3 The Stakeholder Group makes no joint recommendation, at this time, on whether BLM should proceed with a "suitability" determination, postpone such determination, or abandon it altogether. -5-