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<br />" I <br />. <br /> <br />:;.~. <br /> <br />Dam to Oradtield Bridge. II is also popular downstream to the Dove Creek Pump Plant, cither in conjunclion <br />with float trips or. increasingly, with hike-in or pack-in guided trips. The Dolores Rivcr tailwater tishery gained <br />regional and nationwide recognition in lhe lirst few years after the rJmll was l.uil!. 'rhe signilie.llll loss of fish <br />due to low releases (20 cfs) ill 1990 caused lishing use to declinc drastically. Fishing has increased with the <br />availabilily of large lish. resulling from implementation of catch-and-release regulalions by the CDOW in <br />January 1985 and higher releases of water since 1991. <br /> <br />A CDOW creel census during June-August 1990 (a period of extremely low flows) indicated <br />approximately 1,500 angler days, with a toral visitation of about 6.000 (Japhet, 1994). A voluntary creel census <br />station has been in place at Bradlield Bridge since 1987; however, response rates are low. The responses may. <br />contain valuable information concerning the quality of the fishing experience. During the latest census period of <br />October 1992 to 'August 1993, 52% of the 132 respondents were from out of state. This compares favorably <br />with the resulls of another 1990 creel census, which indicated that 57% of respondents were from out of state. <br />USFS angler census ligures for 1993 indicate that 2,044 individuals fished the reach of river down to Bradfield <br />Bridge (Stewart, 1993); of these, 309 were clients of outfitters, and 1,735 were members of private trips. <br /> <br />RAFTING <br /> <br />Very little rafting occurs on the reach of the Dolores River from McPhee Dam to Bradfield Bridge. <br />This is probably due to factors such as general commercial rafting not being permitted on this reach and the <br />occurrence of few whitewater runs. Though the USFS has issued a few pemiits to outfittelli allowil1&1hem to <br />float this stretch of river in conjunction with fishing trips, no permits have been issued to commercial rafting <br />companies. There is currently a moratorium on the issuance of new pennits pending the results of a carrrying <br />capacity study. This reach is heavily used by fishermen and is easily accessible by foot throughout its entire <br />length. There are few opportUnities for solitude, when compared with further downstream reaches, and the <br />possibility of contact with bank fishermen exists due to the relatively narrow width of the river. <br /> <br />Rafting is very popular on the Dolores River downstream from Bradfield Bridge to as far as Bedrock. <br />The differing character of the river in two distinct reaches, one from Bradfield Bridge to Slick Rock (upper) and <br />the other from Slick Rock to Bedrock (lower), results in different types of rafting use on these reaches. <br /> <br />The upper reach contains stretches of whitewater and is favored by rafters wanting to experience this <br />type of river trip. The scenery in this section is also an attraction; the river is located in a red rock canyon with <br />the vegetative community dominated by ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper. It has been described as being one <br />of the most scenic floating reaches in the United States. In the past, the most frequently used watercraft on this <br />reach have been medium-to-larger sized (12-16 feet) inflatable rafts. However, the perceived unpredictability of <br />runoff releases and lower flows throughout most of the year have been accompanied by an increase in the use of <br />smaller watercraft such as kayaks and inflatable canoes. These smaller craft are often combined with fishing <br />trips, by both private and commercial boaters. <br /> <br />The lower reach contains a riverbed made up of fewer rocks and a gentler gradient. The scenic values <br />of this stretch are also a major attraction, with the canyon being even deeper than in the upper reach. Rafts are <br />used en this stretch, but open canoes have also been very popular. This eleperience is attractive to those users <br />not pcssessing or not wishing to exercise advanced paddling skills, but desiring a morc rclaxing trip. Float trips <br />along this stretch are generally not combined with fishing trips, due to the scarcity of gamefish in this reach. <br /> <br />Rafting uSe figures for the Dolores River may be found in the Dolores 'River Corridor Mana2ement <br />Plan. The 8 LM manages lhe river corridor downstream from Bradfield Bridge, and has the responsibility for <br />issuing penn its for river trips and maintaining use records for the river. 111e records indicate that the Dolores <br />River hosled 5.042 user days in 1992 (Ryan, 1993). This use figure is comprised of 184 private trips, and 32 <br />commercial trips. It is eStimaled that use in 1993 increased aboutlen perCent over that of 1992. The season of <br />normal use is considered 10 be April I.June 18 of each year, with lhe remainder of the year considered to be low <br /> <br />38 <br />