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. . Chapter III - Affected Environment/Environmental Consequences PDEIS - Navajo Reservoir Operations 111-107 553 9-day float trips on the river. The small commwlity of Bluff (population 320) is 554 economically tied to the tourist, river, and land recreation industries and is somewhat 555 dependent on those industries. Mcxican Hat (population 600) is economically 556 dependent in the same ways but also has some income and employment from the 557 mineral extraction industries. Any change to these industries would have a significant 558 direct impact on these small commwlities because outfitters, lodging, restaur,lnts, and 559 retail establishments are heavily dependent on river recreationists. 560 561 Use estimation lllilllbers were obtained from permits issued to river recreationists by the 562 BLM, River permits are restricted to 1,225 trips per year. User nWllbers are divided 563 into commercial permits and private permits. Commercial permits are issued to licensed 564 outfitters who arrange and provide raft trips for profit to the public; they comprise about 565 35 percent of the BLM trip permits issued each year, and were about 429 for 1999. 566 Private permits issued to the public (who provide their own boats and necessary 567 equipment) make up the remaining 65 percent of the permits issued, or about 796 568 permits. (A more detailed explanation of tl1e permitting process is contained in the 569 "Recreation" section). 570 571 As discussed earlier in the "Recrcation" section and based on BLM estimates, 572 approxinlately 11,165 river users made a total of 1,225 boating trips, averaging about 573 9 boaters per [rip. BLM permit records indicate that commercial outfitters provided 574 river trips tor an estimated 3,908 river recreationists out of the total 11,165 river users 575 during the 1999 season (May tl1rough September). 576 577 578 San Juan River Private Boating .-Private river users, as previously mentioned, 579 are also an inlpOrtant component in the local economy. BLM permits issued to private 580 boaters amoWlted to an estimated 7,257 river users in 1999. 581 582 In slUllmary, the analysis in the "Recreation" section concluded that the overall quality of 583 rafting would decline; however, current use figures are not projected to change because 584 the demand far exceeds the supply of permits and raf1:able flows would be maintained 585 above 500 cfs. 586 587 588 Agriculture.-Regional impacts for agriculture are significant Wlder the proposed 589 250/5000 Alternative that provides for future water development in the San Juan River Draft - Not for Public Review - ja'luary 25, 2002 01032