Draft Final Study Report 1999 Aesthetic Resources Assessment Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 637

March 2000

Prepared by: Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Wenatchee, Washington, and Duke Engineering & Services, Inc. Bothell, Washington Draft Study Report 1999 Aesthetic Resources Assessment Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 637

Table of Contents

SECTION 1...... 1 INTRODUCTION...... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND...... 1 1.1.1 Project Description...... 1 1.1.2 Recreation and Aesthetic Overview...... 2 1.2 CONSULTATION PROCESS AND STUDY PLAN DEVELOPMENT...... 4 1.2.1 Forest Service Landscape Aesthetics Handbook ...... 4 1.2.2 Goals and Objectives...... 7 1.3 STUDY METHODOLOGY ...... 7 1.4 STUDY AREA...... 9 SECTION 2...... 10 LAKE CHELAN VIEWSHEDS ...... 10 2.1 CONSTITUENT INFORMATION ...... 17 2.2 VIEWS OF THE UPPER LAKE FROM THE WATER...... 19 2.3 VIEWS OF THE LOWER LAKE FROM THE WATER ...... 32 2.4 VIEWS OF THE LOWER LAKE FROM THE LAND ...... 36 2.5 EROSION SITES...... 48 SECTION 3...... 50 THE CHELAN RIVER GORGE...... 50 3.1 INTRODUCTION...... 50 3.2 VIDEOTAPING LOCATIONS ...... 51 SECTION 4...... 57 SUMMARY...... 57

Aesthetic Resources Assessmenti Lake Chelan Project October 1999 FERC No. 637 Draft Study Report 1999 Aesthetic Resources Assessment Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 637

List of Figures

Figure 1 – Lake Chelan Basin, three major zones...... 13 Figure 2 – Viewsheds in Upper Lake Chelan ...... 14 Figure 3 – Viewsheds from the South Shore in Lower Lake Chelan...... 15 Figure 4 – Viewsheds from the North Shore in Lower Lake Chelan...... 16 Figure 5 – Videotaping Locations in the Gorge...... 51

Aesthetic Resources Assessmentii Lake Chelan Project October 1999 FERC No. 637 Draft Study Report 1999 Aesthetic Resources Assessment Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 637

List of Tables

Table 1 – Landscape Character Theme and Scenic Integrity Rating ...... 6 Table 2 – Dates and Water Levels for Still Photography of Lake Chelan...... 8 Table 3 – Flow Releases Videotaped in Gorge...... 9 Table 4 – List of Viewsheds Photographed on Lake Chelan ...... 12

Aesthetic Resources Assessment iii Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

1.1 BACKGROUND

Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County (Chelan PUD) owns and operates the Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 637) located on the Chelan River in Chelan, Washington. The original license was granted for the present Lake Chelan Project Hydroelectric (the Project) in May 1926 by the Federal Power Commission, now Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). On May 12, 1981, FERC granted Chelan PUD a new 30-year license for the Project, retroactive to 1974 when the original 50-year license expired. That license expires on March 31, 2004.

Chelan PUD is in the process of relicensing the Project. The FERC relicensing process is based on laws and regulations that require years of extensive planning, including environmental studies, agency consensus, and public involvement. Chelan PUD has requested and received approval from the FERC to employ an Alternative Relicensing Process for the Project, as allowed under FERC’s Final Rule issued on October 29, 1997 (Docket No. RM95-16-000; Order No. 596). The Alternative Relicensing Process proposed by Chelan PUD is intended to expedite the licensing process by combining the pre-filing consultation and environmental review processes into a single process, and by improving and facilitating communications among the participants in the licensing process.

Numerous studies are being conducted as part of the relicensing efforts. As part of the relicensing efforts, still photography and video were collected to characterize the aesthetic resources in the project area. This draft report presents the results of that effort and a summary of the study results will be included in the Report on Land Management and Aesthetics section of the Lake Chelan FERC license application.

1.1.1 Project Description

The Project is located approximately 32 miles north of the City of Wenatchee on the Chelan River. The 4.1-mile-long Chelan River flows from the lower end of the 50.4-mile-long Lake Chelan to the Columbia River. The project consists of a 40-foot-high concrete gravity dam, a 2.2-mile-long concrete-lined tunnel and steel penstock, a powerhouse located at the confluence of the Chelan and Columbia Rivers, and a switchyard. The powerhouse contains two Francis- type turbines each rated at 34,000 hp at 1,100 cfs and a net head of 377 feet. A detailed description of the project facilities can be found in the Initial Consultation Document issued on October 5, 1998.

The Project reservoir (Lake Chelan) is operated between a maximum water surface elevation of 1,100 feet (MSL) and 1,079 feet to meet a variety of needs, including power generation, fish and wildlife conservation, recreation, water supply, and flood control. The normal maximum surface elevation is at 1,098 feet, which assures the fullest possible utilization of the reservoir for generation of electricity while meeting flood control needs, irrigation requirements and

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 1 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction environmental uses of Lake Chelan. The reservoir has 677,400 acre-feet of usable storage above 1,079 feet, of which 65,000 acre-feet is set aside for irrigation and domestic water uses.

Annual regulation of Lake Chelan is heavily dependent on yearly weather conditions. Chelan PUD uses annual snowpack surveys of the Chelan drainage basin system, along with information collected from four snowpack monitoring telemetry sites to determine runoff forecasts. Chelan PUD has been conducting these surveys since 1955. The forecasts are an important factor in assuring that the expected volume of runoff is equal to the volume available in storage. The forecasts are made available to the public and local news media. Over the years, these forecasts have proven to be within five percent of the observed actual inflow.

Typically, Lake Chelan begins to refill during April and May, as warmer temperatures melt the lower snowpack areas and stream flows into the lake increase. Lake Chelan is regulated to remain between elevations 1,098 and 1,100 feet from July 1 through September 30 each year. During October, the elevation begins to drop as streamflows into the lake decline. From October through April, water is released through the power tunnel for power generation, exceeding the amount of water entering the lake from inflows. The lowest annual lake elevation generally occurs during March or April. The average drawdown of the lake over the past 43 years of operation has been to about 1,084.2 feet. The lake refills again during April and May as the spring runoff exceeds the amount of water needed for power generation. Since the project was originally licensed in 1926, the lake has never been drawn down to the minimum allowable elevation (1,079 feet). The lowest drawdown on record was 1,079.7 feet in 1970. That occurrence coincides with the lowest annual precipitation on record.

1.1.2 Recreation and Aesthetic Overview

Recreation has been an integral part of the Chelan Basin since Euroamericans first entered the basin. President Grover Cleveland established the first “Forest Preserve” over the Chelan area on February 22, 1887. This area constituted one division (the Chelan Division) of the Washington Forest Preserve. Steamboats had already begun to travel the lake waters by 1889, providing tourists with a means to travel uplake to Lucerne and Stehekin. Packers and guides accompanied sportsmen on hunting and fishing expeditions in the uplake valleys. Hikers and horseback riders traveled in great numbers to the mines in Horseshoe basin between the 1890s and early 1900s, and Railroad Creek had become a popular camping, hunting and recreation destination by this time as well. A variety of hostelries sprung up in the basin at Stehekin, Bridge Creek, Rainbow Falls, Moore’s Point, Meadow Creek, and Lucerne. These upper basin facilities were destination spots, where visitors would come to stay for weeks and months at a time.

In 1906, there was a strong movement to preserve the beauty of Lake Chelan by creating a National Park, but mining, grazing, and other timber interests remained strong, and it would not be until 62 years later that a park would be established with a final reshuffling of jurisdictions.

In the early 1900s, there were minor expansions of the Forest Reserve boundaries proclaimed on December 27, 1902; November 15, 1906; and January 13, 1907. In March 1907, the Forest Reserve was renamed the National Forest. On July 2, 1908, the National Forests were transferred from the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior to the Department of Agriculture. The Chelan

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 2 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

Division, of what was once the Washington Forest Preserve was subdivided into Chelan, Okanogan, Mount Baker, and parts of the Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National Forests. In 1910, the Entiat watershed was added to the Chelan National Forest. Until 1911, the Chelan and Okanogan National Forests were one, and constituted one of the largest units in the Forest System. There was a general decline in recreation activity during the depression, but the popularity of vacation and retirement homes in the Stehekin Valley grew during the 1940s, and recreational opportunities in the basin have continued to play a significant role in the shaping of the basin’s character into the present time.

The new (1911) Chelan and Okanogan National Forests were recombined in 1921 into a new, and again larger Chelan National Forest. In July 1942, the Tonasket Ranger District, which had been part of the Colville National Forest, was transferred to the Chelan National Forest, making the Chelan National Forest almost three million acres. In 1955, the Chelan National Forest was again eliminated as a jurisdictional entity, and the Okanogan National Forest resurrected. The Chelan Ranger District was placed under the Wenatchee National Forest.

On October 2, 1968 Congressional Bill PL90-544 established a North Cascades National Park of 505,000 acres; a Ross Lake National Recreation Area (NRA) of 107,000 acres; and in the Chelan Ranger District, a Lake Chelan National Recreation Area of 62,000 acres. The jurisdictional responsibilities of the National Park also passed into the hands of the National Park Service at this time. The National Recreation Area was established “to provide for the public outdoor recreational use and enjoyment of portions of the Stehekin River and Lake Chelan, together with surrounding lands, and for the conservation of the scenic, scientific, historic, and other values contributing to the public enjoyment of such lands and waters”. In 1988, 56,335 acres of the Lake Chelan NRA were designated as wilderness.

Today, the Wenatchee National Forest is a publicly owned natural area of marvelous beauty. The Forest includes a net area of 2,164,180 acres. It is 140 miles long and 25 to 55 miles wide, stretching from the spectacular Lake Chelan in the north through the rugged Goat Rocks Wilderness in the south. The 422,073-acre Chelan Ranger District lies within the Wenatchee National Forest. Included within the Chelan Ranger District is the 141,361-acre Glacier Peak Wilderness, the 54,802-acre Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, and 113,654 acres designated by the Forest Service as roadless area.

Overall, the Wenatchee National Forest’s Chelan Ranger District and the Lake Chelan NRA surround approximately two-thirds of Lake Chelan.

Today, recreational opportunities in the Lake Chelan Basin are dependent primarily on the topography and the type of access available. “The North Cascades Joint Plan” (National Park Service/Forest Service 1974) aptly summarizes the physical makeup of the lake:

Lying in one of the deepest gorges in North America, Lake Chelan comprises one of the great scenic wonders of America. This 32,000-acre lake averages 1 mile in width, and has a depth of nearly 1,500 feet. Surrounding peaks tower as high as 7,000 feet above its 55-mile length. The lake serves as a waterway approach to the Forest Service’s Wenatchee National Forest above 25-Mile Creek, and to the

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 3 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

National Park Service’s Lake Chelan NRA at Stehekin. The lower 15 miles of the lake are mostly privately owned; the next 35 miles are within the Wenatchee National Forest; and the upper 5 miles are within the Lake Chelan NRA. Most of the entire Lake Chelan area is presently roadless, but such primitive roads as do exist form an important part of the recreational resource. The area’s mining history, Stehekin’s relaxed character, and the campgrounds, trailheads, and resort facilities along the waterway are all popular recreation attractions.

The popularity of the Lake Chelan area for all types of recreational activities is primarily due to the range of year-round opportunities - from the very busy and accessible lower reaches of the lake to the raw beauty and remoteness of Lake Chelan basin, especially the Sawtooth Wilderness, Glacier Peak Wilderness, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, and unroaded areas in the upper two-thirds of the lake.

1.2 CONSULTATION PROCESS AND STUDY PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Consultation on aesthetics resources began in 1998 as part of the development of the land management studies for the relicensing. Further discussions with the working groups strongly indicated that the members of the recreation working group were most interested in aesthetics issues and the study discussions were transferred to this group from the land management working group. Recreation studies being conducted at that time included a recreation use assessment of Lake Chelan and a paddling feasibility study of the Chelan River Gorge downstream of the dam. The aesthetics resources study was broken out into a separate study in early 1999 and the study plan was developed in consultation with the combined Recreation/Aesthetics working group. The review-copy of draft study plan was issued on May 12, 1999 and the final study plan was issued on July 16, 1999 in Scoping Document 2.

1.2.1 Forest Service Landscape Aesthetics Handbook

Working group participants from the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) requested that the aesthetic study be based on, and incorporate applicable portions of the USFS’ 1996 manual titled Landscape Aesthetics: A Handbook for Scenery Management (USFS handbook). The aesthetics study recently completed in 1998 for Portland General Electric titled A Study in Landscape Aesthetics for the Pelton Round Butte Project was also recommended as an excellent model to follow.

Scenic assessment using the USFS handbook consists of inventorying scenic quality using two primary indicators, landscape character and scenic integrity. At the core of this assessment is an understanding of how people use the area and their “sense of place” – a highly subjective concept.

Follow-up conversations with USFS representatives and members of the working group explored how to apply the USFS’ aesthetics handbook to the Aesthetic Resource Assessment Study and it was decided that the aesthetics resources report would focus on the following handbook portions:

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 4 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

§ Landscape Character; § Scenic Integrity; and § Constituent Information.

Landscape character is characterized as the interaction between the physical (geological) environment, the biological components of the area, and the human experience and use of the area. The USFS handbook summarizes this concept as “the overall visual impression of landscape attributes, the physical appearance of a landscape that gives it an identity and sense of place”. Landscape character can range from the undisturbed natural environment to the fully- developed urban environment.

Scenic integrity is an assessment of the amount of human-caused deviation in form, line, color and texture to a landscape. The highest scenic integrity ratings are given to those areas, which have little, or no deviation from the character valued by constituents for it’s aesthetic appeal. Scenic integrity can be used to describe an existing condition, a standard for management, or a desired future condition or goal for the resource under consideration.

In this study report the following classifications have been used to describe scenic integrity:

Very High – unaltered: preservation. Refers to landscapes where the valued landscape character is intact with only minute if any deviations. The existing landscape character and sense of place is expressed at the highest possible level.

High – appears unaltered: retention. Refers to landscapes where the valued landscape character appears intact. Deviations may be present but must repeat the form, line, color, texture, and pattern common to the landscape character so completely and at such scale that they are not evident.

Moderate – slightly altered: partial retention. Refers to landscapes where the valued landscape character appears slightly altered. Noticeable deviations must remain visually subordinate to the landscape character being viewed.

Low – moderately altered: modification. Refers to landscapes where the valued landscape character appears moderately altered. Deviations begin to dominate the valued landscape character being viewed but they borrow valued attributes such as size, shape, edge effect and patter of natural openings, vegetative type changes or architectural styles outside the landscape being viewed. They should not only appear as valued character outside the landscape being viewed but compatible or complimentary to the character within.

Very Low – heavily altered: maximum modification. Refers to landscapes where the valued landscape character appears heavily altered. Deviations may strongly dominate the valued landscape character. They may borrow from valued attributes such as size, shape, edge effect and patter of natural openings, vegetative type changes or architectural styles within or outside the landscape being viewed. However, deviations must be shaped or blended with the natural terrain (landforms) so that elements such as unnatural edges, roads, landings, and structures do not dominate the composition.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 5 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

For the viewsheds classified in this study, the majority were determined to be either high or very high. A couple of viewsheds were classified as moderate, and none were found to be either low or very low. Table 1 lists the landscape character theme and scenic integrity rating of the 21 viewsheds photographed for this study.

Table 1 – Landscape Character Theme and Scenic Integrity Rating

Site Site Name Landscape Character Scenic Integrity No. Theme Rating Upper Lake – Views from the Water 1 Stehekin River 2 Stehekin 3 Moore Point 4Lucerne 5 Prince Creek 6 Domke Falls 7 Corral Creek 8 Mitchell Creek Lower Lake – Views from the Water 9 Slide Ridge (Yacht Club) 10 Manson 11 LC State Park to Slide Ridge Lower Lake – Views from Land 12 Twentyfive Mile State Park 13 Fields Point 14 Loop Road towards Fields Point 15 Manson Bay Park 16 Uplake towards LC State Park 17 Old Mill Park looking uplake 18 Uplake towards Old Mill Park 19 Uplake towards Wapato Point 20 Chelan Bridge (downstream view) 21 Chelan Bridge (lake view)

Constituent information is a description of the public’s expectations, desires, preferences, acceptable levels of quality, behaviors, and values. The types of questions usually addressed in this application of the USFS’ aesthetics handbook are:

§ How do people influence the landscape? § How does the landscape influence people? § In time and space, what are the apparent trends and risks?

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 6 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

An intensive survey focused on these issues is normally required to address constituent information and to answer the above questions. No such intensive survey was included as part of this study.

The constituent information gathered focused on the “recreation oriented user” which considerably narrowed the constituent’s values for other resources.

The issue of erosion and its relation to aesthetics was also discussed by the working group in some detail. For the aesthetic study, the working group decided to include photographs of a range of typical erosion sites in the study report that are visible in the photographs taken of the lake for further consideration. The erosion working group is currently working on an inventory and prioritization of erosion sites at Lake Chelan and the Recreation/Aesthetics working group will review their findings and recommendations from an aesthetic perspective during the consultation process. Some of the Recreation/Aesthetics working group team members will collaborate with the Erosion working group to address aesthetics resource issues at the project.

1.2.2 Goals and Objectives

The purpose of the Aesthetics Resources Assessment Study is to complete a scenic assessment by describing landscape character and scenic integrity. Photography and video were used in addition to written descriptions to document representative viewsheds that are accessible by the public within the Project area. These viewsheds were inventoried using still photography at low, mid and high water levels on Lake Chelan and using video in the gorge at a range of flow releases. This study is designed to provide baseline information on the aesthetic resources at the project under a range of operating conditions and how that affects the recreation experience and aesthetic setting.

Overall, the goals of the aesthetic study were summarized during consultation as compiling the necessary information to answer the following three questions:

§ What areas do you want to maintain? § What areas do you want to enhance? § What areas do you want to rehabilitate?

A summary of the study results will be included in Exhibit E of the Lake Chelan FERC license application. This information will also be provided to interested parties for consideration when making land management decisions.

1.3 STUDY METHODOLOGY

The aesthetics resources assessment study used different photography methods for documenting Lake Chelan viewsheds and flow regimes down the Chelan River Gorge.

On Lake Chelan, still photography was taken of a range of publicly accessible representative viewsheds from both land and water, showing the view at representative low, mid, and high- water levels. The photography was taken during the spring refill period in 1999 as the lake level

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 7 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction rose. For the purposes of this study, the lower lake was defined as those areas accessible by automobile and the upper lake as those areas not accessible by car.

For Lake Chelan still photography was taken to document:

§ Views of the upper lake from the water; § Views of the lower lake from the water; and § Views of the lower lake from the land.

Photographs were taken on Lake Chelan in 1999 for this study at representative low, mid and high water levels, as listed in Table 2. The water levels ranged from 1,085 to 1,099 with a fluctuation range of 14 feet. These levels represent the current average operating regime for lake levels during the peak and off-peak recreation seasons.

Table 2 – Dates and Water Levels for Still Photography of Lake Chelan

Date of Photograph From Land or Water Elevation of Lake Chelan May 20, 1999 Water 1,085.17 feet May 25, 1999 Land 1,086.45 feet June 18, 1999 Land 1,095.85 feet June 20, 1999 Water 1,096.32 feet July 30, 1999 Water 1,099.50 feet July 31, 1999 Land 1,099.52 feet

As noted above in the previous section, if the ongoing erosion study has identified active erosion sites in the viewsheds depicted in the photo documentation for this study, representative close-up photographs of those areas are provided as examples of the work being done by the erosion group. However, any proposed actions to address these areas will be handled by the erosion group in coordination with the aesthetics/recreation working group.

Aesthetics resources assessment in the gorge consisted of videotaping six flow releases in the gorge to both assess the aesthetic quality of the releases and to gather information that will be useful for scoping and conducting future whitewater paddling feasibility studies in the gorge. The videotaping team carefully marked the camera location, camera angles, and lens settings to assure repeatability from one flow to the next. This approach worked in all locations except one - down inside the gorge itself -- at the beginning of the difficult portion of the whitewater run (Entrance Exam1). Here it was too dangerous to send the camera crew in at the flows of 2,000 and 4,400 cfs because of very high water at the established camera location, and videotape of this area was taken from the hillside above this location at these two high flows.

1 On Land Boating Feasibility Assessment, Shelby Research & Consulting, September 1999. Aesthetic Resources Assessment 8 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 1 Introduction

For the videotaping in the gorge, Table 3 lists the target flows and the actual flows (as later calculated following the event during) the flow releases for this study:

Table 3 – Flow Releases Videotaped in Gorge

Date of Flow Release Target Flow (cfs) Calculated Flow (cfs) June 18, 1999 50 32 June 15, 1999 100 81 June 17, 1999 250 260 August 24, 1999 500 500 August 10, 1999 2,000 2,000 July 14, 1999 4,400 4,400

1.4 STUDY AREA

The study area encompasses the project boundary, which extends along the 1,100-foot contour line from the upper of Lake Chelan near Stehekin to the city of Chelan. The project boundary continues down both sides of the Chelan River Gorge Bypass Reach to the confluence of the Chelan and Columbia rivers near Chelan Falls.

The study included a selection of representative publicly accessible viewsheds on Lake Chelan as seen from the lake, selected locations along the shoreline and areas within and around the Chelan River Gorge.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 9 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

Lake Chelan is one of Washington State’s premier recreation destinations and is well known for it’s scenic beauty and abundant natural resources. Due to the fact that it is the main entryway to the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and the southern portion of the North Cascades National Park, Sawtooth Wilderness, Glacier Peak Wilderness, and unroaded areas in the upper two-thirds of the lake. Lake Chelan is considered a regional and national attraction. The waters of Lake Chelan are of outstanding quality, offering pristine clarity to a great depth and a beautiful sapphire hue. Rising steeply from these waters is the remote and rugged mountains of the North Cascades Range. The Lake Chelan Basin is approximately 75 miles long and Lake Chelan comprises about 50 miles of the basin, making it one of the predominant features of the basin.

The area surrounding Lake Chelan varies considerably, both in terrain and climate. Average annual precipitation ranges from a high of 150 inches near the Cascade Crest to a low of 10 inches at the Columbia River.

The USFS divides the Chelan Basin into three major zones, primarily based on landforms:

§ The Upper Zone – includes the Stehekin basin and Lake Chelan tributaries uplake from Railroad Creek on the south shore and Fish Creek on the North shore; § The Middle Zone – includes tributaries between Railroad Creek and 25-Mile Creek on the south shore, and between Fish Creek and Safety Harbor on the north shore; and § The Lower Zone – includes the lake below 25-Mile Creek on the south shore and Falls Creek on the north shore.

The 1977 Recreation Study Plan divides the Lake into three zones based on developmental patterns that match the USFS’ zones. These are:

§ Occupancy Zone; § Transition Zone; and § Destination Zone.

The Occupancy Zone comprises the lower third of the lake and extends from the Chelan Dam to 25-Mile Creek, including the towns of Manson and Chelan. Most of the lake’s private recreation facilities (resorts), and about two-thirds of the public recreation facilities are located within the Occupancy Zone. The Occupancy zone consists of roaded urban and rural areas, unroaded backcountry areas, and a mix of public and private land ownership. The Occupancy Zone is a major recreation destination for the Pacific Northwest Region, and, unlike the other two zones, is accessible by land transportation. Chelan is a major point of departure for visitors traveling uplake on the “Lady of the Lake” commercial ferry boat, as well as for those launching their own boats. Summer months are the busiest for recreational use, followed by spring and fall, with winter the slowest season. The Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce estimates more than 500,000 annual visitors to the Lake Chelan area with as many as 25,000 per day on peak

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 10 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds weekends. The Transitory Zone (“Water Highway”) is generally made up of the water corridor between Twentyfive Mile Creek and Lucerne/Moore Point. Most uplake visitors travel through this zone by boat or plane with ultimate destinations at either Stehekin or Lucerne. The landscape of this zone is alpine in character with steep mountain slopes and rock outcroppings rising from the lake to elevations of 2,000 to 7,000 feet, a short distance from the lakeshore. The area is mostly roadless and recreation sites in the transitory zone are primarily limited to small alluvial fans where small mountain streams enter the lake. The water temperature in the Transitory Zone is considerably colder than the water in the occupancy zone; thus constraining many water based activities such as swimming. The primary recreational uses in this area are camping, boating, backpacking, dayhiking, hunting, and fishing. Because of the small size of the sites, and the limited range of recreational activities available, most visitations within the Transitory Zone is limited to a few days.

The Destination zone extends from Lucerne to the head of the lake at Stehekin, the greater part of the Destination Zone is located within the Lake Chelan NRA of the North Cascades National Park. This in itself makes the area a primary destination of thousands of day and overnight visitors annually. This zone is composed of three large recreation sites (The Stehekin Valley, Moore Point, and Lucerne) and several smaller ones. Although the Destination Zone somewhat overlaps the Transitory Zone, it offers a more diverse range of activities with sites that have sufficient land area to satisfy use over a longer period. The landscape of this zone is basically similar to the Transitory Zone, however, the sites are generally flatter, larger, and more environmentally suitable for development. The recreation sites are located on alluvial fans at stream mouths. Recreation activities available include camping, boating, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, backpacking, dayhiking, river rafting, cross-country skiing, and mountain climbing.

For consistency with the USFS Landscape Aesthetics Handbook and planning processes this report uses USFS terminology.

Table 4 lists the viewsheds that have been recorded using still photography on Lake Chelan and presented in this study report.

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Table 4 – List of Viewsheds Photographed on Lake Chelan

Site No. Site Name Viewing Direction Upper Lake – Views from the Water 1 Stehekin River Northwest 2 Stehekin East 3 Moore Point South Southeast 4 Lucerne South Southeast 5 Prince Creek East Northeast 6 Domke Falls West Southwest 7 Corral Creek Southwest 8 Mitchell Creek Northeast Lower Lake – Views from the Water 9 Slide Ridge (Yacht Club) West 10 Manson North 11 LC State Park to Slide Ridge Northwest Lower Lake – Views from Land 12 Twentyfive Mile State Park Northwest 13 Fields Point Southeast 14 Loop Road towards Fields Point Northwest 15 Manson Bay Park South 16 Uplake towards LC State Park Northwest 17 Old Mill Park looking uplake Northwest 18 Uplake towards Old Mill Park West Northwest 19 Uplake towards Wapato Point Northwest 20 Chelan Bridge (downstream view) West Northwest 21 Chelan Bridge (lake view) East Southeast

Figures 1 through 4 present approximate graphic representations of the viewsheds documented in this report as follows:

§ Figure 1 shows the three major zones of the Lake Chelan Basin; § Figure 2 shows the approximate viewsheds from the water in the upper portion of the lake; § Figure 3 shows the approximate viewsheds from either the south shore or from the water looking at the north shore of lower Lake Chelan; and § Figure 4 shows the approximate viewsheds from either the north shore or from the water looking at the south shore of lower Lake Chelan.

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Figure 1 – Lake Chelan Basin, three major zones

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Figure 2 – Viewsheds in Upper Lake Chelan

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Figure 3 – Viewsheds from the South Shore in Lower Lake Chelan

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Figure 4 – Viewsheds from the North Shore in Lower Lake Chelan

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2.1 CONSTITUENT INFORMATION

Chelan PUD conducted a recreation assessment on Lake Chelan that covered the summer of 1998 through the end of the spring of 1999. This study covered both the spring and fall off-peak recreation season and the summer peak season at Lake Chelan. Part of this study included both on-site surveys at the downlake locations (defined as those areas accessible by automobile) and survey boxes at selected uplake locations2. Although these surveys were not designed to capture the level of constituent information described by the USFS handbook, the Lake Chelan Recreation/Aesthetics Working Group decided it would be appropriate to review these survey responses to determine what useful information could be gleaned about visitors’ experiences and impressions about the aesthetic qualities of the project area.

Overall, the survey information shows that visitor satisfaction is very high across all the recreational sites at the lake. The surveys asked people to rate the various sites on the lake on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. User satisfaction at the downlake sites were closely grouped between 7.9 (Lakeshore RV Park) and 9.9 (Old Mill Bay). Only 25-Mile Creek State Park had a lower composite rating of 6.2. At the Uplake sites run by both the National Park Service and the USFS, the composite ratings all fell between 7.3 and 10, with about 40 percent of the ratings above 9.0 and 85 percent of the ratings above 8.0. These responses indicate a very high satisfaction level with both the facilities at the lake and the overall recreational experience across the entire study area.

When asked about what could be done to make the recreation experience even better, the most common responses for both uplake and downlake sites during the peak season were:

§ Cleaner facilities (18 percent); § More Parking (14 percent); and § Fewer people (9 percent).

Other responses at the downlake sites during the peak season included fewer geese, more grass, more trees for shade, more/better docks, better roads, higher/lower water levels, better or more swimming beaches, more play equipment and activities for kids, more signs, more diving boards, and more campfire facilities.

The responses to the box surveys at uplake sites in the fall off-peak season were all less than 13 percent for any given category and included fewer people, fewer loud people, better docks, cleaner facilities, higher lake levels, no user fees, better bathrooms, more trees or shelters, and level campsites.

The responses to the box surveys at uplake sites in the spring off-peak season were most commonly expressed as follows:

2 Draft Study Report – 1998/1999 Recreational Use Assessment – Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project, Howe Consulting and Duke Engineering & Services, Inc. August 1998. Aesthetic Resources Assessment 17 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

§ Higher lake levels (31 percent); § Better docks (29 percent); § Fewer people (14 percent); and § Cleaner facilities (12 percent).

Other less-common responses included more campsites, more parking, and more docks.

Overall, these responses show an extremely high level of satisfaction with the complete recreational experience at Lake Chelan. Visitors expressed a genuine appreciation for the range of recreational opportunities offered and the transition in landscape from the flatter, more developed areas on the lower lake to the remote and wild upper reaches at the head of the lake.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 18 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

2.2 VIEWS OF THE UPPER LAKE FROM THE WATER

This section presents the views and descriptions of the still photographs taken from the water on the upper section of the lake (above 25-Mile State Park).3 These views are representative of the way the majority of visitors to the upper end of the lake experience the area on their ride up to Lucerne and/or Stehekin by watercraft. Site seeing is a primary recreation activity for people going uplake.

3 Chelan PUD would like to thank the U.S. Forest Service for their participation and assistance in writing the scenery management descriptions contained in Section 2.2 of this document.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 19 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Upper Zone Viewshed No. 1 – The mouth of the Stehekin River at the head of the lake

The view is at the head of the lake looking up the valley into the steep glaciated valley of the North Cascades National Park. This viewshed is visible to travelers to Stehekin as they approach Stehekin landing by boat. This view is also visible from Stehekin landing itself and is one of the most photographed areas on the upper end of the lake. In the adjacent areas, Weaver Point dock and Stehekin River Mouth Adjacent to Weaver Campground are seen, a NPS facility. Weaver Point Point includes a dock for 12 boats, campsites, May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet toilet and NPS employee residence; it is accessible by boat or trail around the north side of the lake. Similar campgrounds and docks facilities exist at Flick Creek and Manly Wham, which are located approximately four miles downlake. Flick Creek campsite has a shelter, toilet, and floating dock. Manly Wham has a toilet and fixed dock. The Weaver Point, Flick Creek, and Manly Wham docks are only useable at near full lake levels.

Landscape Character – The viewshed is reflective of the natural appearing in the foreground, to predominately natural evolving landscape character in middleground and background settings. The pristine waters of Lake Chelan and broad valley bottom lined by snow Stehekin River Mouth capped rocky mountain peaks offer outstanding June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet scenic quality. The presence of rustic cabins along its shoreline adds to the valued sense of place for people visiting or living in Stehekin. This combination presents the visitor with a sense of going back in time to a simpler lifestyle and lures visitors to explore further up into the valley at the head of the lake. The combination of primitive accommodations and wilderness presents a range of enticing recreational opportunities for tourists and residents in this area.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is rated high to very high. The viewshed above the shoreline (foreground setting) appears completely undisturbed, remote, and is reflective of the wilderness. Structures and the valley road are Stehekin River Mouth visible in places along the shoreline, where the July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet activity blends into the landscape and remains subordinate to the landscape character. Vehicles have been brought in by barge and remain year- round, traffic is extremely light and is not a major intrusion on the feeling of remoteness experienced Aesthetic Resources Assessment 20 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds at this location. Deviations to the landscape character occur seasonally with the water level fluctuations related to project draw down, and subsequent limited access to developed dock and campground facilities. The lower water creates a linear contrasting soil color along the shoreline that grows into an area several hundred acres in size around April called the Stehekin mud flats. As the mud flats turn to dust during spring and early summer before rising lake levels again cover the area; the resulting dust causes a degrading of aesthetic quality.

Constituent Information – Surveys were not performed at this location on the lake for the recreation study, but casual conversations with visitors to Stehekin Landing this summer indicate a high satisfaction with the landscape character and scenic integrity and the beauty of the natural surroundings at the head of the lake. One of the most often repeated descriptions of this area was that it felt very much like stepping back in time.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 21 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Upper Zone Viewshed No. 2 – The landing at Stehekin at the head of the lake

This is the view of the National Park Complex, marina and boat landing at Stehekin. The majority of visitors to Stehekin arrive by Lake Chelan Boat Company ferries or private watercraft. Stehekin is a major destination area for Lake Chelan visitors. The boat landing is accessible year round. The area becomes very busy when the ferryboats arrive with visitors and loading of shuttle buses. The Purple Stehekin Landing Point dock and campground can also be viewed in May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet this area just north of the Stehekin Landing. Purple Point has 7 campsites available for hikers or boaters; the docks can accommodate ten 21’ boats. The Stehekin Landing has docking facilities for up to 26 boats and 3 floatplanes.

Landscape Character – The landscape character is natural appearing with a rural node in the community of Stehekin. The middleground and background backdrop setting is natural evolving. The built environment blends harmoniously with the landscape, reflective of the rustic and remote setting. The buildings and landscape merge naturally with the forest and the overall impression is one of an outpost at the edge of the wilderness. The marina and boat facilities do not intrude on the overall sense of timelessness. The forested setting Stehekin Landing and steep mountains dominate the view. The overall feeling is one of going back in time. The June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet slower pace, the older automobiles, and the lack of overwhelming tourist catering combine to make Stehekin a very relaxing and fascinating place to visit and add to the sense of place for Lake Chelan. Another important aspect of Stehekin Landing is the historic element associated with the Golden West Visitor Center, a NPS facility constructed partly from materials salvaged from the old Field Hotel.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is intact and is rated high to very high. Outside of the rural node, the landscape setting appears unaltered. The intermixed trees screen most of the buildings from the water; the buildings are styled rustically and blend in with their surroundings. Negative deviations to the landscape character occur with Stehekin Landing the exposed rock along the shoreline, which July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet extends several feet above the high water mark and the massive linear feature of the dock and marina

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 22 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds seasonally with the water level fluctuations related to project draw down. The main dock has access provided by a ramp. Access to other recreational developed facilities such as docks and campsites in the NRA is limited, the Stehekin mud flats that appear from late winter through spring result in dust intrusions and lower scenic quality.

Constituent Information – Surveys were not done at Stehekin, the overall impression from visitors is that this is a special place (see above in Viewshed No. 1). The NPS and Chelan PUD are working together to study and plan for air quality monitoring during 2000 through an Air Quality (Dust) Monitoring Study.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 23 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Upper Zone Viewshed No. 3 – Moore Point looking south

This is the view people experience when boating around the Moore Point area. Moore Point campground is a USFS facility that may be accessed by boat or from the Lakeshore Trail that follows the north side of the lake from Stehekin Landing to Prince Creek. There is a trailhead located here, which provides access to Lakeshore and Fish Creek trails. These trails are accessible by boat on Lake Chelan, or by a long hike or ride Moore Point South from Twisp River Valley trailheads. The Lady of May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet the Lake stops here to drop off hikers. Moore Point is approximately 6.9 miles from Stehekin along the trail. Facilities include one shelter, four campsites, two pit toilets and a fixed dock with capacity for about three boats (21’boat). There are some private inholdings to the north of the campground along the shoreline where summer homes are seen.

Landscape Character – The landscape character in this viewshed is natural appearing to predominately natural evolving. Moore Point is a flatter, forested area on the alluvial fan that transitions to the rugged, steep mountains along the south shore in the background. The feeling in this area of the lake is one of remoteness and wilderness. Moore Point is rich in cultural history. A highly valued part of the landscape character of Moore Point South Moore Point is the historic/cultural element June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet associated with American Indian use, the early settlement patterns of the 1800’s, CCC era and remnants of these era’s seen on the ground. There are interpretative and education opportunities related to the rich heritage history on Moore Point, such as an outdoor learning center (shelter and camp facilities) for school age children.

Scenic Integrity – Overall, the scenic integrity of this area is high to very high. The private land intermixed along the shoreline has summer homes and private access. There is little evidence of human presence in this area outside of the summer homes and the occasional boat traffic. Negative landscape character deviations result from the erosion scars seen along the north shoreline uplake of Moore Point. The amount and scale of change are visually noticeable to casual boaters and are Moore Point South dominant in some areas north of Fish Creek. July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet Fluctuating water levels affect dock maintenance costs and usability for public developed recreation Aesthetic Resources Assessment 24 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds facilities of Moore Point campground in this viewshed. When the water level is down, more light colored rock is exposed along the shoreline. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in campgrounds.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 25 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Upper Zone Viewshed No. 4 – Lucerne

Lucerne Landing is another developed complex hub uplake, consisting of two USFS boat-in campgrounds (Lucerne and Refrigerator Harbor), Lucerne guard station, the ferry dock and day use /trailhead area for visitors on route to Holden Village, and private inholdings for Chelan Boat Club. Public facilities include six campsites, two toilets, and one dock and boat basin with capacity for about nineteen 21’ boats. Private summer Lucerne homes and landscaped grounds are clustered near May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet the Chelan Boat Club dock.

Landscape Character – Lucerne Landing has a rural node associated with the development at the Chelan Boat Club, a private parcel. The rest of the landscape character is reflective of the natural appearing to natural evolving type. Railroad Creek discharges to the right of the Chelan Boat Club area, the combination of fast moving water entering the lake with huge forested hills as a backdrop invites the visitor to stay and explore. Photographs taken from the Lucerne shoreline towards the head of the lake at Stehekin is one of the most photographed views on the lake. The rustic architectural style of the buildings and the historic nature of the Lucerne Landing all contribute to the sense of place and landscape character. Lucerne Landing is also rich in cultural history, a valued part of the landscape character Lucerne which presents interpretive and educational July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet opportunities.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity at this location is high to very high. Facilities blend in with the surrounding landscape and are reflective of the natural and rustic setting. Negative landscape character deviations result from the shoreline erosion seen along the north shoreline uplake and downlake of Lucerne Landing. The cumulative amount and scale of change are visually noticeable to casual boaters. Shoreline erosion has the potential to affect developed recreation facilities and heritage sites. Fluctuating water levels affect dock maintenance costs and usability for public developed recreation facilities in this viewshed, including Lucerne, Refrigerator Harbor, and Cascade Creek campgrounds. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in campgrounds and at Lucerne ferry dock. Aesthetic Resources Assessment 26 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Middle Zone Viewshed No. 5 – Prince Creek

Prince Creek campground is a USFS facility that may be accessed by boat or from the Lakeshore Trail. Prince Creek is approximately 17.2 miles from Stehekin Landing. There is a trailhead located here, which provides access to Lakeshore and Fish Creek trails. These trails are accessible by boat on Lake Chelan, or by a long hike or ride from Twisp River Valley traiheads. The Lady of the Lake ferry stops to drop off backpackers. Prince Creek Facilities include six campsites, three pit toilets, May 20, 1999 – 1085.17 feet and a floating dock with capacity for about three 21’ boats. The view shown here is looking up the valley that formed the alluvial fan where the campground is located.

Landscape Character – The landscape character is reflective of natural appearing to natural evolving. Views consist of rugged, steep, rocky cliffs rising sharply from the water and the larger alluvial fan by Prince Creek Campground. Prince Creek Campground is located on a terrace higher in elevation than the alluvial fan. The higher mountain located up the Prince Creek valley offers a challenging temptation for backcountry hikers. This location leaves the viewer with a strong impression of the magnitude of the natural forces that formed the geology in this area over time. This is a great location to provide interpretive and Prince Creek education information on history, geology, and June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet natural resources.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of this site is very high, evidence of human presence is not noticeable in this viewshed except for the dock. The floating dock providing access to the campground is usable year round. Fluctuating water levels affect dock maintenance costs. Negative landscape character deviations result from the shoreline erosion seen along the north shoreline in areas of the viewshed and in the immediate access path provided from the dock to the campground, which goes up a steep bank denuded in places. When the water level is down, more light colored rock is exposed along the shoreline. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in campgrounds. Prince Creek July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 27 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Middle Zone Viewshed No. 6 – Domke Falls

Domke Falls is a boat-in USFS campground. Facilities include four campsites, one pit toilet, and a floating dock with capacity for about six 21’ boats. The camping facilities are to the right of the falls. The falls are accessed by a short hiking trail from the campground.

Landscape Character – The landscape character is natural appearing to natural evolving. Domke Falls are a beautiful attraction on Lake Chelan framed by a steep wilderness backdrop and Domke Mountain. The falls come tumbling out of the Domke Falls forest and change dramatically depending on the season, lake water level, the flow in the river, the May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet wind, and the angle and amount of sunlight. When the lake water level is lower, light colored rock is exposed at the base of the falls. Sightseers from the Lady of the Lake ferry and casual boaters stop here for photograph opportunities in the tour uplake. In addition, the ferry hugs the shoreline to view American Indian pictographs just uplake of the falls. Domke Falls is highly valued for it’s unique characteristic associated with the waterfalls.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is high to very high. The campground to the right of the photo is built on a fairly steep slope and is easily visible from the water. Visual impacts are seen resulting from people camping at the site which Domke Falls lowered the classification to moderate. There is June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet more dominant devegetated ground in this camping area than at other areas on the lake. The impression likely to be left with visitors is that the focused view of the falls are beautiful, while the area to the right of the falls is impacted from human caused activities. Fluctuating water levels affect dock maintenance costs. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in campgrounds.

Domke Falls July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 28 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Middle Zone Viewshed No. 7 – Corral Creek

The view is looking up the Corral Creek drainage on the south shore. Corral Creek is a boat-in campground operated by the USFS. Facilities include four campsites and one floating dock with capacity for about six boats. In addition to Corral Creek, Big Creek, Graham Harbor and Graham Harbor Creek, Safety Harbor and Deer Point Campgrounds will also be discussed in a general sense, since they are developed recreation facilities Corral Creek located in the adjacent viewshed zone with same May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet landtype associations and similar recreation use patterns.

Landscape Character –Landscape character is natural appearing to natural evolving, it is very rugged with exposed rock and cliffs at the water’s edge. The impressive Chelan Mountain and Sawtooth Mountain ranges are in the background on the south and north shore, running parallel to Lake Chelan. The developed campgrounds are all rustic in setting. Big Creek and Corral Creek campgrounds are connected by a hiking trail. Graham Harbor and Graham Harbor Creek campgrounds are connected by a short trail. All the sites have cultural history associated with them; the most obvious is the CCC era, which left historic shelters and other features on the ground. Corral Creek This is part of the valued landscape character to be June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet maintained.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of this location is very high as seen from the water where the Corral Creek site was viewed and photographed, it appears that there is no human presence at this location other than the floating dock and that it remains untouched. The developed sites of Big Creek, Graham Harbor and Graham Harbor Creek, Safety Harbor and Deer Point Campgrounds all have a high to very high scenic integrity rating with similar views seen from the lake. Graham Harbor and Graham Harbor Creek have areas of moderate scenic integrity due to site impacts associated with high use, soil compaction and lack of vegetation is noticeable from the lake. In addition, shoreline erosion resulting from lake level fluctuation has the potential to affect Corral Creek developed recreation facilities and heritage sites. July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet The trail between Graham Harbor and Graham Harbor Creek has erosion impacts that are

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 29 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds affecting the stability of the trail tread. Fluctuating water levels affect dock maintenance costs and usability for public developed recreation facilities of Big Creek and Graham Harbor Creek campgrounds. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in these campgrounds.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 30 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 8 – Mitchell Creek

The viewshed changes dramatically from the uplake areas to the downlake areas, where Mitchell creek located. Mitchell Creek is a USFS boat-in campground. Facilities include one shelter, seven campsites, two toilets, and a floating dock with capacity for about seventeen 21’ boats.

Landscape Character – The landscape is Mitchell Creek reflective of the natural appearing character. The landscape vegetative and geologic pattern is May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet transitioning from the glaciated steeper mountain ranges in the upper portions of the lake to the flatter, rolling hills at the lower end of the lake. The character is rated more typical or common in the scenic attractiveness class. Vegetative species composition is influenced by less hydrology and precipitation patterns than what occurs uplake. Generally, the landscape is rocky and reflective of a drier climate, the shrub/steppe vegetative type, with patches of grass and smaller fir or pine trees scattered across the hillside. This area is much less imposing than the middle and upper lake areas and is more inviting to the casual day hiker than some of the more rugged upper sites. The historic day use shelter is reflective of the CCC era. The architectural style of the shelter is rustic and provides architectural interest. Mitchell Creek Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is rated June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet high, the dock and shelter are readily visible from the water but do not detract from the natural appearance of this site. There is evidence of terracing at this location; an impact from the past as a result of sheep grazing in the lower portions of the basin. The lack of large trees are a result of past fires in the area. Negative landscape character deviations result from the shoreline erosion seen along the shoreline. Fluctuating water levels affect dock maintenance needs and costs. When the lake water level is down, the break water structure is out of the water and appears as a dominant feature. The shoreline is more exposed with light colored soil and rock. Vegetation enhancement and site Mitchell Creek development opportunities exist to improve the settings in Mitchell Creek campground. July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 31 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

2.3 VIEWS OF THE LOWER LAKE FROM THE WATER

This section presents views of the lower portion of the lake as it typically experienced from watercraft on Lake Chelan. The sites in this section are many times larger than the boat-in sites on the upper lake and the entire lower end is much busier, both from a land and water-based perspective. The lower portion of the lake is more reflective of the urban to rural and agricultural landscape character that has roaded access; this provides a different experience for the recreation visitor than the middle and uplake areas of Lake Chelan.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 32 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 9 – Slide Ridge near Yacht Club

Slide Ridge is visible from a wide range of locations on Lake Chelan. This area has been the location of landslides for many years now and is likely to remain permanently scarred. This scarring does not strike the viewer as a negative thing and really simply emphasizes the fact that the landscape is still changing and very dynamic in Slide Ridge at Yacht Club this area. May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet Landscape Character – Landscape character is reflective of the rural landscape type. As is typical on the lower south shore of Lake Chelan, this area presents a mix of intensive use and construction along the waterline with a towering hillside that appears untouched, except for the natural disturbances of past fires and slide activities. Another interesting visual feature at this location is the dense pine forest that separates these two areas.

Scenic Integrity – The presence of human is very obvious along the waterline at this location. Boat traffic is intense and there were quite a few personal watercrafts (jetskiis) in operation during the runs conducted during good weather. Overall this area, as well as most of the lower lake, is very busy during the peak seasons with a range of recreational activities from fishing to water skiing to site seeing. The scenic integrity is high; visitors enjoy a scenic wonderland of blue sky and clear Slide Ridge at Yacht Club water in which to play. The structures of houses July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet and docks appear to blend in more when the water level is high, when it is lower, the structures are more visible along with more light contrasting shoreline which draws the eye to view the area. In this area, darker earth tone colors would help subdue visual structures to blend in with the natural appearing surrounding forested landscape.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 33 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 10 – Manson Shoreline

The view shown here is from about the center of the lake looking north Although the town of Manson is very busy with the shoreline densely populated with both summer home and year round homes, the impression from the center of the lake is that it is more naturally appearing.

Landscape Character – The landscape character is rural to agricultural. Manson is a community View North from Middle of Lake located in a rolling, gently sloping landform Opposite Chelan Ridge to Manson framed by the much higher and more remote Shoreline mountains of the Sawtooth Range in the May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet background. Orchards are a dominating feature throughout the terrace intermixed with rural development along the shoreline and landscape.

Scenic Integrity –This area represents an intensive water-based recreation zone on the lake including a wide range of watercraft use at any given time. Manson is a year round community, where permanent development begins on the north shore of the lake. Visitors coming to this area for these types of recreational activities enjoy a scenic wonderland of blue sky and clear water with high scenic integrity. For visitors looking for solitude and wilderness, the character in this area would not meet their expectations and they would gravitate to the less-populated uplake areas with the natural appearing to natural evolving landscape character Manson Shoreline type. June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet

Manson Shoreline July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 34 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 11 – Chelan Butte

Chelan Butte is a landmark for Chelan; it is one of the highest and most easily accessible locations in the lower lake area. It is a very popular recreation area with residents and tourists, especially hang gliders who take off from this location to fly across the Columbia River to take advantage of the thermals rising off the plateau on the eastern side of the river. The Chelan Butte is visible from most of the lower end of the lake. View East/Southeast Chelan Butte May 20, 1999 – 1,085.17 feet Landscape Character – Chelan Butte is reflective of the naturally appearing landscape character typical of the shrub/steppe vegetative type. There are fingers of dense forested vegetation in the draws and along ridgelines that provide contrasting interest against the grassy slopes. The landform is an imposing and noticeable feature visible across most of the lower lake area. It is a rolling but fairly steep hill that towers above the city of Chelan and offers impressive views of the lower lake and Columbia River from its heights. Roaded access is provided to the top from several locations, the roads are not noticeable in the view.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of Chelan Butte is high, the landscape remains largely intact. Chelan Butte is private land on the lower end and View East/Southeast Chelan Butte transitions to Chelan Butte State Wildlife Area June 20, 1999 – 1,096.32 feet intermixed with BLM in the middle and upper elevations. It is not developed except for roaded access, which blends into the landscape.

View East/Southeast Chelan Butte July 30, 1999 – 1,099.5 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 35 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

2.4 VIEWS OF THE LOWER LAKE FROM THE LAND

The next section depicts views of the lower lake from the land. All these views were taken at locations accessible to automobiles since that’s the way the majority of people without boats experience the Lake Chelan area.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 36 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 12 – Uplake from 25-Mile State Park

The view uplake from 25-Mile State Park is impressive and inviting. This is the last public developed recreation facility accessible by motorized vehicle on the south shore. The park serves as a launching area for uplake boaters.

Landscape Character – The viewshed is natural Uplake from 25-Mile Creek State Park appearing, and offers the visitor an invitation to explore the remote wonders of the upper portions May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet of the lake. The few houses visible along the south shoreline are not obtrusive and the general feeling is one of the last strings of rural landscape character before entering the wilderness of the upper lake. The hillsides across the lake in this viewshed are transitioning from the rolling hills in the lower basin to the steep, glaciated mountains of the upper basin. Vegetation is sparsely scattered across the rocky slopes visible on the north shore from this location. Evidence of fire disturbance is noticeable along this viewshed on both the north and south slopes.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of the landscape viewshed at this location is high. Water fluctuation levels affect the usability of the docks at 25-Mile State Park, the break water structure is Uplake from 25-Mile Creek State Park completely exposed and out of the water at the low water level, becoming a more dominant feature. June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet The structure blends in more when the water level is high. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in 25-Mile State Park campground.

Uplake from 25-Mile Creek State Park July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 37 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 13 – Fields Point looking downlake

Fields Point, a 17-acre site, is a portal for the Lady of the Lake ferry. The U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service jointly developed Fields Point to provide interpretive information, orientation and secure parking for visitors to Lake Chelan and the uplake areas. Facilities include picnic areas, parking, restroom facilities, and an Downlake from Fields Point information center building operated by a private concessionaire providing snacks, souvenirs, and May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet recreation information. There is both excellent visibility of the lake from this location as well as the sight of a well-designed and integrated facility viewed from the lake.

Landscape Character – Overall, the landscape character is natural appearing, the view looking downlake has a mix of rural character along the south shoreline viewed from Fields Point. The landscape is reflective of the rocky shrub/steppe vegetation character with steep, more rolling, dissected landforms intersecting the lake. There is more forested areas on the south shore (north aspect) at this location than on the north shore, a component that helps screen the amount of development along the south shoreline at this viewshed. Fields Point development is more rustic Downlake from Fields Point in nature and blends harmoniously with the June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet landscape by utilizing native materials and colors found in the area such as basalt rocks, timber, and earth tone colors. Landscaping is a blend of the more urban characteristic of groomed lawns mixed with natural appearing native trees and shrubs. The desired condition is to move toward more native vegetation that would require less maintenance. Primarily a forest service seasonal interpreter who rides the Lake of the Lake passenger ferry during the summer season provides environmental education.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is high. The built environment blends in with the landscape. Vegetation enhancement and site development opportunities exist to improve the settings in Fields Point, Phase III development is Downlake from Fields Point an excellent enhancement opportunity. Continue July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet to provide environmental education with a seasonal interpreter on the Lake of the Lake The Lower Zone Aesthetic Resources Assessment 38 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds passenger ferry. Lower water levels expose more beach area near the boat dock. Fluctuating water levels affect the dock maintenance needs and costs.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 39 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 14 – From Loop Road looking uplake towards Fields Point

This viewpoint is from a paved access road on the north shore of Lake Chelan, easily accessible by motorized vehicle or bicycle.

Landscape Character – The landscape view at this location is stunning because it reflects a landscape character transition from the View North from Loop Ave., Manson combination of the urban, rural, and agricultural environment to the mountainous natural appearing May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet and natural evolving wilderness landscape. The point jutting out on the south shore has rural character near the shoreline and at Fields Point Landing that transitions to natural appearing. The mountains on the north side of the lake have no evident signs of human’s presence or alteration.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of this location and viewshed is moderate to high. The viewer is naturally drawn up the lake corridor, wondering what might be beyond that next bend. During low water levels, the shoreline appears more contrasting with the light colored rocks exposed at the waters edge.

View North from Loop Ave., Manson June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet

View North from Loop Ave., Manson July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 40 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 15 – Wapato Point

Wapato Point is a high-income community developed on property leased from the Colville Tribe. This area is extremely busy with a wide range of watercraft and other water-based recreational activities occurring during the peak recreation season.

Landscape Character – The landscape character is a blend of urban, rural, and agricultural. The View East to Wapato Point from Boat landscape landform is comprised of a large flat Pickup alluvial fan with low-lying rolling hills. Orchards May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet are intermixed among the developed areas. Shoreline access is excellent along this area and contributes to the shoreline development that has occurred. The shoreline and adjacent areas are densely developed reflective of the urban landscape character. High density of docks and boats along the waterline at Wapato Point is evident.

Scenic Integrity –The scenic integrity is classified as moderate to high. The urban environment is highly evident viewed from the water. During high water, the environment blends in with the landscape more than it does during low water. During low water, there is sandier beach exposed View East to Wapato Point which creates a more contrasting shoreline, the boat facilities of docks, marinas, etc stand out June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet more in low water levels. The shoreline is relatively flat, compared to other areas on the lake; sandy beaches are more usable in lower water levels due to the flat slopes.

View East to Wapato Point July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 41 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 16 – View Uplake from Bus Monument on South Shore of Lake Chelan

This view is from highway 97A, and is very similar to Viewshed No. 10, Manson Shoreline. The main difference is the view is from the highway, not the middle of the lake.

Landscape Character – The landscape character From Bus Monument on South Shore of viewed from this location includes a blend of rural, Lake Chelan agricultural in the lower elevations to the natural May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet appearing and natural evolving character in the background. The flatter rolling hills of Wapato Point and Manson transition to the higher and steeper peaks of the Sawtooth Range. The visitor begins to get a feeling for the large expanse of area surrounding Lake Chelan and the changes in landscape that transition up the valley.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of this viewshed is moderate to high. Manson is viewed in the point across the lake, it is a year round community, where permanent development begins on the north shore of the lake.

From Bus Monument June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet

From Bus Monument July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 42 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 17 – View West to Wapato Point from Highway 150

This viewshed is typical of how people experience Lake Chelan when driving up the lake on Highway 150 on the north shore.

Landscape Character – The landscape character at this location is very similar to the viewsheds already described in No. 10 and 16, reflective of View West to Wapato Point from the blend of rural, agricultural, and urban at the lower elevation transitioning to the natural Highway 150 appearing to natural evolving character in the May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet mountains.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is moderate to high. Manson is viewed in the point across the lake, it is a year round community, where permanent development begins on the north shore of the lake.

View West to Wapato Point June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet

View West to Wapato Point July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 43 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 18 – Uplake towards Old Mill Park from Highway 150

This view is looking uplake from Highway 150 towards Old Mill Park in Manson.

Landscape Character – The character of this viewshed is similarly mixed and typical of many of the downlake viewsheds, in this photo it is predominately rural. The waterfront is developed View off Highway 150 towards Old Mill along the park framed by the towering mountains on the south shore in the distance. Slide Ridge is Park seen in the background. The feeling here is that May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet the viewer is in a water-based recreational paradise that offers a wide range of recreational opportunities. There is really no sense of the remote upper valley from this location.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity at this location was classified as moderate. When the lake levels are low, there is more flat sandy beach exposed creating light color contrast at the waters edge.

View off Highway 150 June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet

View off Highway 150 July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 44 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 19 - View Uplake from Highway 97A

This viewshed is from the south shore along highway 97A looking uplake. This is a typical view for people driving up the south shore of the lake to Fields Landing or 25-Mile State Park.

Landscape Character – The landscape character along this route is very similar to the description View from Highway 97A provided for Viewshed No. 16. The landscape character viewed from this location includes a May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet blend of rural, agricultural in the lower elevations to the natural appearing and natural evolving character in the background. The flatter rolling hills of Wapato Point and Manson transition to the higher and steeper peaks of the Sawtooth Range. The visitor begins to get a feeling for the large expanse of area surrounding Lake Chelan and the changes in landscape that transition up the valley. The photograph taken on June 18, 1999 shows the sapphire color of the water quite well.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of this viewshed is moderate to high. Manson is viewed in the point across the lake, it is a year round community, where permanent development begins on the north shore of the lake.

View from Highway 97A June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet

View from Highway 97A July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 45 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 20 – View down the Chelan River towards the project dam from the Old Bridge by Cambell’s Resort

Landscape Character – The landscape in this area is urban. The view at this location includes a mix of diverse landscape features as the terrain progresses down in elevation from the lower end of Lake Chelan to the Columbia River. The hills in the background form the eastern valley wall of View East from Old Bridge in Chelan the Columbia River; the landform on the right is May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet the toe of Chelan Butte. Chelan Riverwalk Park is located along both sides of the river, a trail with fishing and viewing platforms are seen in places. Other developed facilities include a boat launch, short-term moorage, boat trailer parking, grass playfield, restrooms, grass playfield areas, and picnic shelter. The town of Chelan is also located in this general area. There is development along the shoreline here but it is generally set back with the Chelan Riverwalk Park providing a buffer along this portion of the project shoreline.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity of this viewshed is moderate to high. The facilities blend in with the vegetated shorelines along the river corridor breaking up the built environment. Flatter shorelines and broad valley bottoms allow the View East from Old Bridge in Chelan developed community to fit into the landscape June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet without dominating the view.

View East from Old Bridge in Chelan July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 46 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

The Lower Zone Viewshed No. 21 – View uplake from the Old Bridge by Cambell’s Resort

Landscape Character – The landscape character in this viewshed is a blend of urban, to rural, to agricultural. This view is the most focused view for people in Chelan, at the end of the lake looking north. The landscape transitions from the towering Chelan Butte on the left (not shown in this picture) View West from Old Bridge in Chelan across the rolling hills of the town of Chelan to the May 25, 1999 – 1,086.45 feet right. This view is generally the busiest area of the lake for boat traffic, reflective of the seasonal tourist draw.

Scenic Integrity – The scenic integrity is moderate to high. The open viewing of developed landscape along the lower shore and the high use concentrated at the lower end of the lake tends to dominate the view and experience for visitors and people in the area. The focus on the nearby activities on the shore and water, but is to be expected with the urban character of the area.

View West from Old Bridge in Chelan June 18, 1999 – 1,095.85 feet

View West from Old Bridge in Chelan July 31, 1999 – 1,099.52 feet

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 47 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

2.5 EROSION SITES

This section presents representative photographs of erosion sites that occur in the viewsheds presented above. This is just representative sampling of the 208 erosion sites identified by the erosion working group to date. Erosion sites are negative deviations from the landscape character that contribute to a lower scenic integrity rating in the immediate foreground. The aesthetics working group will work closely with the erosion group to assess their prioritization of sites and will have the opportunity to work with the erosion group to address aesthetics issues as they relate to erosion later in the consultation process with developing management recommendations and priorities. The actual fixes for designated and prioritized erosion sites will be determined by the erosion working group – however, the aesthetics working group will be given the opportunity to review any proposed fixes and comment accordingly.

The Flats at the Head of the Lake in Armored bench and cut bank at Deer Point Stehekin (April 21, 1999) (May 5, 1999)

Armored bank at Prince Creek Prince Creek with armoring at waterline and (April 30, 1999) cut bank above (April 29, 1999)

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 48 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 2 Lake Chelan Viewsheds

Near Domke Falls (April 14, 1999) Manson – Armored bench above waterline with eroding bank behind (May 11, 1999)

North Shore between Camas Creek and Manson – Willow Pt Park (May 12, 1999) Grade Creek (May 5, 1998)

Manson – Armored at shoreline with cut Sheep on steep wall at upper end of lake bank behind new construction (April 14, 1999) (May 11, 1999)

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 49 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Aesthetics resources in the gorge downstream of the project were documented using video from five locations along the gorge under six different flow releases. Still photography was taken at the locations to illustrate the viewpoint at each of these five locations in this written portion of the study report.

The five locations were chosen by the Recreation/Aesthetics working group to both satisfy the needs of the aesthetics study and to provide information on the chosen flows for the whitewater paddling feasibility study. The video will be used by the recreation working group to help document aesthetics at various flow levels.

The video crew carefully recorded the camera location and settings in order to duplicate the shots for each of the six flows recorded. The video is attached to the cover of this report and shows a pan shot of the visible portion of the river at each of the five locations and a 30-second still shot of the six flows all shown on the screen at the same time for comparison purposes. The video crew also remained silent during the taping to capture as much of the ambient sound as possible, but in several instances the wind on the microphones interfered a bit with the sound recording.

As noted earlier, this process was successfully repeated at all flows and locations except for location 2 at the higher flows of 2,000 and 4,400 cfs. The video of these higher flows at this location was shot from an area higher up on the bank with good visibility of the river due to extremely dangerous conditions in the gorge from the high water levels in relation to the original camera location chosen.

For the videotaping in the gorge, Table 5 lists the target flows and the actual flows (as later calculated following the event) released for this study:

Table 5 – Dates and Flows Photographed in the Chelan River Gorge

Date of Flow Release Target Flow (cfs) Calculated Flow (cfs) June 18, 1999 50 32 June 15, 1999 100 81 June 17, 1999 250 260 August 24, 1999 500 500 August 10, 1999 2,000 2,000 July 14, 1999 4,400 4,400

The videotape of these flow releases in the gorge is approximately 23 minutes long and is attached to the cover of this report.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 50 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

3.2 VIDEOTAPING LOCATIONS

Videotaping locations were generally determined by the working group to best address both the needs of the aesthetics study and those of the whitewater paddling feasibility study. The final locations were selected in the field the first day of taping to best show that section of the gorge and for safety concerns for the video crew. Figure 5 shows the five videotaping locations selected for this portion of the aesthetics study. A series of still photographs are also presented to show the viewshed for the five videotaping locations.

Figure 5 – Videotaping Locations in the Gorge

The next few pages show photographs of the five videotaping viewsheds chosen for the study that are documented in the attached videotape.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 51 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

Location 1 – Cemetery viewpoint above the gorge

This viewpoint was chosen because it gave the viewer an excellent perspective of the upper portion of the gorge. The majority of the upper two miles of river beginning below the dam are very similar to the view pictured. The Chelan River has very little gradient and moves over a bed of very large- sized cobble through much of the upper Location 1 – Downstream view sections. This viewpoint clearly shows how the river channel has moved and the outer banks of the curves have self-armored with time. Although the combination of fast moving water and large cobbles created a constant sound of running water at this location, the high wind noises on the top of the bluff also interfered with the sound recording on several occasions.

These photographs were taken on June 17, 1999 under a flow release of 260 cfs. The hills in the distance in the downstream view are actually the east bank of the Columbia Location 1 – Upstream view River in Douglas County.

Location 1 – Video crew at work

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 52 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

Video Location 2 – Entrance Exam

Location 2 was a spot down inside the gorge at the location dubbed “Entrance Exam” by the whitewater experts who have scouted the route and written up their findings in an assessment report. The name “Entrance Exam” was chosen because this is the first bit of whitewater downstream of the dam and any boaters are immediately committed to a series of four Class-V rapids once they pass this point.

The camera location is down inside the gorge about 15 feet about the riverbed. As noted earlier, it was not possible to get the camera crew safely to this location during flow releases of 2,000 and 4,400 cfs due to very high and fast-moving water through this section. This area is difficult to access and the camera crew descended to the Location 2 – Videotaping inside the gorge location using ropes. itself at Entrance Exam There is quite a transition in this point in the gorge as the river enters the bend rather calmly and immediately transitions to a series of large drops around the corner.

The second photograph here is a view of this same section looking downstream past Entrance Exam from a higher vantagepoint on the steep bank. The flow release pictured in the top photograph was 81 cfs (June 18, 1999) and 260 cfs is shown in the bottom photograph (June 17, 1999).

Location 2 – Downstream view from above on the steep bank

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 53 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

Location 3 – From the overlook by the Surge Tower

This view picks up a few hundred feet below the views shown from Location 1 and presents the viewer with a nearly vertical panorama of approximately 0.6 miles of the steepest portion of the gorge from several hundred feet above the riverbed. There are a number of named features in this section of the river including Double-Slide, Throne Falls, Pinnacle Falls, and Car Wreck Falls. The viewpoint where the video was shot slopes down towards the cliff edge and this sloping combined with the sheer height induced slight vertigo in several members of the video team.

The bridge in the lower photograph is the old bridge to the town of Chelan Falls that is no longer in use. Video for Location 4 was Location 3 – Upstream towards shot off the old bridge. The Columbia River “Double-slide” can be seen below the old bridge in the lower photograph where the gorge begins to level back off as the hillside merges into the flats of Columbia River Valley.

The flows in the top photograph were 260 cfs (June 17, 1999) and 81 cfs (June 15, 1999) in the bottom photograph.

Location 3 – Downstream towards Old Bridge

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 54 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

Location 4 – Upstream and Downstream from the Old Bridge

This viewpoint shows the boulder fields and sieves at the final portion of the gorge. Although the gradient is less here than in the upper sections, there is a lot more large rock deposited through this section. The view upstream from the bridge shows an approximately 0.2 mile section while the downstream view is a much shorter transition to the exit which immediately smoothes out to the right of the bottom photograph to join the project tailrace to then discharge into the Columbia River.

This last section is a bit deceiving as it has several sieves and many very large boulders over a fairly short distance.

The flows were 81 cfs (June 15, 1999) in the Location 4 – Upstream from Old Bridge top photograph and 260 cfs (June 17, 1999) in the lower photograph.

Location 4 – Downstream from Old Bridge

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 55 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 3 The Chelan River Gorge

Location 5 – Upstream view looking at gorge exit

Video Location 5 – View of the Lake Chelan Project powerhouse and surge tank Location 5 – Downstream view Video at this location was shot from the adjacent highway and included a wide pan from the gorge exit to the point where the project tailrace joins the gorge flows before discharging into the Columbia River.

These photographs were taken on June 17, 1999 when the flow was 260 cfs.

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 56 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637 Section 4 Summary

Lake Chelan is a premier destination area for vacationers and recreationists, offering a range of diverse year-round recreational opportunities. The lake offers a highly diverse and scenic landscape so unique that the USFS has designated the entire watershed as Class A – Distinctive. The USFS defines Class A areas as:

Areas where landform, vegetation patterns, water characteristics, and cultural features provide unusual, unique, or outstanding scenic quality. These landscapes have strong positive attributes of variety, unity, vividness, mystery, intactness, order, harmony, uniqueness, pattern, and balance.4

Class A landscapes are easy to identify since they exhibit outstanding scenic beauty and are often widely known as landmarks because of these characteristics. Lake Chelan easily falls into this category. Most people who visit National Parks and Recreation areas expect natural appearing scenery to dominate altered settings, especially in forested regions. Lake Chelan is currently and will likely remain highly valued for the outstanding scenic qualities and the wide range of recreational opportunities it offers.

Given these outstanding attributes and the excellent shape of the aesthetic resource at Lake Chelan, it’s appropriate to repeat the major goal for this study as stated earlier in Section 2:

1. What areas should be maintained? 2. What areas should be enhanced? 3. What areas should be rehabilitated?

Assessing and answering these questions will be the next task for the Recreation/Aesthetics working group following finalization of this assessment report. It further seems likely that this next effort will involve close interaction with the erosion working group as they begin to prioritize sites for treatment and stabilization activities.

4 Draft Middle Chelan Watershed Analyses, page 31, United States Department of Agriculture, USFS, 1999

Aesthetic Resources Assessment 57 Lake Chelan Project February 2000 FERC No. 637