WSPC01338

• File Number: 8210.761.09.C
• Description: Colorado River-Federal Agencies-US NPS-Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Title: Legislation to Make BC a National Park-Proposed Black Canyon National Park and Scenic Recreation Area Chart
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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,

The ~roposal is to conlbine into a single
highly visible complex, four primary recreation
units, each offering its own special op~ortunjties
for outdoor recreation.

The total area proposed would comprise about
131,000 acres of mostly feceral land along
approximately 100 miles of the Gunnison Piver.

-PRoPOSED-
GUNNISO~ GORGE NATIONAL RECREATIO~
AREA

Approximately 70,450 acres in
size, the present Gunnison Gorge
Recreation Lands were designated by
the BLM in 1972. The final area
~anagement plan has been released.

-PROPOSED-
.LOWER GUNNISON WILD AND SCENIC RIVER
I
'fnt;> goa 1 1 S to des uJnu le aL,ou t
25 miles of the Lower Gunnison River
from the south boundary of the
monument to the confluence with the
Smith Fork as a wild river. That
was the recommendation of the 1979
Wild and Scenic study.

Another option would be to
designate a specially managed river-
way. Decision on options is subject
to resolution and/or mitigation of
\,~lter flow and ....rater right conflicts
~nd dcvelnpment of ;lublic consensus.

I

-PROPOSED-
BLACK CANYON NATIONAL PARK
-I

The proposal is to change
the name of the monument to
the Black Canyon National
Park. The present 20,763
acre monument includes an
11,180 acre existing wilder-
ness area. The monument was
established Ly President
Hoover in 1933. The final
land protection plan for the
~onument has been completed.

-PROPQSF.D-
CURECANTI NATIONAL RECRr::^TIO~; AREA

Th~ proposal is to formalIze
through leqislaticr., the 1965
agreement with the Bureau of
Reclamation and the Natiunal Park
Service which vested the NPS with
P.1anagcmcnt of the ~RA. Thf' iJction
would also replace a similar 1966 I
aqreemcnt between the NPS "nd Forest:
Service for Gunnison National Foresd
lands \-:ithin the NRA. The bill {
would affirm the !\RA boundari€'s and I
recreational purposes of this
40,124 acre area. Tile proposal
would bring the NRA i~to the NPS.

~1,~~
}!)OUlit of l\tPre~ntntibrli
Walrt.J(nglol1, :m.l!:. 20515

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