Lake Chelan Recreation Plan (1977)
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LAKE CHELAN HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT RECREATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN Final LAKE CHELAN HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT FERC Project No. 637 December 7, 2001 Prepared by: Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County Wenatchee, Washington and Howe Consulting, Inc. Seattle, Washington and Duke Engineering & Services, Inc. Bothell, Washington Recreation Resources Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Purpose of the Plan ..........................................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Background......................................................................................................................................................1-1 1.3 Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project Location and Description.........................................................................1-2 1.4 The Planning Process.......................................................................................................................................1-3 SECTION 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS.............................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Physical Conditions and Climate .....................................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Current Land Management and Lake Use Concept .........................................................................................2-1 2.3 Transportation..................................................................................................................................................2-4 2.4 Existing Recreation Development and Use......................................................................................................2-5 SECTION 3: RECREATION DEMAND, FACILITY NEEDS AND RESOURCE CAPACITY.................... 3-1 3.1 Lower Chelan Basin Zone Demand and Needs Analysis.................................................................................3-1 3.2 Middle Chelan Basin Zone Demand and Needs Analysis ...............................................................................3-4 3.3 Upper Chelan Basin Zone Demand and Needs Analysis.................................................................................3-7 3.4 Ability of Project Area to Accommodate Needs............................................................................................3-11 SECTION 4: POLICIES AND PLANS OF PUBLIC AGENCIES ..................................................................... 4-1 4.1 U.S. Forest Service ..........................................................................................................................................4-1 4.2 National Park Service ......................................................................................................................................4-2 4.3 Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission .....................................................................................4-3 4.4 City of Chelan Parks Department ....................................................................................................................4-5 4.5 Manson Parks and Recreation District.............................................................................................................4-6 4.6 Lake Chelan Recreation Association ...............................................................................................................4-6 4.7 Chelan County .................................................................................................................................................4-8 SECTION 5: CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................ 5-1 5.1 Potential Recreation Enhancement Options.....................................................................................................5-1 5.2 Proposed Actions .............................................................................................................................................5-2 SECTION 6: RECREATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE.............. 6-1 6.1 USFS and NPS Recreational Facilities and Docks (Currently Under Negotation)..........................................6-1 6.2 Whitewater Boating .........................................................................................................................................6-3 6.3 Earlier Refill of Lake Chelan During April, May and June. ............................................................................6-4 6.4 Access to Chelan River....................................................................................................................................6-4 6.5 Improvements and O&M on Existing Chelan PUD Parks...............................................................................6-4 6.6 Endowment Fund (Currently Under Negotiation) ...........................................................................................6-5 6.7 Implementation Schedule.................................................................................................................................6-6 6.8 Annual Reporting.............................................................................................................................................6-6 6.9 Recreation Resources Management Plan Review Schedule ............................................................................6-6 SECTION 7: REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 7-1 APPENDIX A: AS-BUILT DRAWINGS OF CHELAN PUD RECREATION SITES APPENDIX B: LAKE CHELAN RECREATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN PROCESS HISTORY APPENDIX C: DESCRIPTION OF ROS CLASSIFICATIONS APPENDIX D: DESCRIPTION OF SHORELINE ENVIRONMENTS APPENDIX E: SOCIAL SCIENCES WORKING GROUP PME ASSESSMENT MATRIX APPENDIX F: DRAFT GUIDELINES, POLICIES AND CRITERIA FOR THE LOCAL ENDOWMENT FUND Final Lake Chelan Project No. 637 December 7, 2001 Page i SS/6060 Recreation Resources Management Plan LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1: Existing Facilities at Lower Chelan Basin Zone Public Recreation Sites .............................................. 2-10 Table 2-2: Existing Facilities at Middle Chelan Basin Zone Public Recreation Sites............................................. 2-13 Table 2-3: Existing Facilities at Upper Chelan Basin Zone Public Recreation Sites...............................................2-14 Table 2-4: Estimated Average Daily Use at Lower Chelan Basin Zone Sites*....................................................... 2-15 Table 2-5: Estimated Average Daily Use at Middle Chelan Basin Zone Sites*...................................................... 2-16 Table 2-6: Estimated Average Daily Use at Upper Chelan Basin Zone Sites* ....................................................... 2-17 Table 2-7: Lower Chelan Basin Zone Sites - Estimated Average Daily Use By Activity....................................... 2-18 Table 2-8: Middle Chelan Basin Zone Estimated Average Daily Use By Activity*............................................... 2-19 Table 2-9: Upper Chelan Basin Zone Estimated Average Daily Use by Activity*................................................. 2-20 Table 3-1: Summary of Lower Chelan Basin Facilities Current and Projected Peak Day Facility Utilization ....... 3-13 Table 3-2: Summary of Middle Chelan Basin Facilities Current and Projected Peak Day Facility Utilization ...... 3-14 Table 3-3: Summary of Upper Chelan Basin Facilities Current and Projected Peak Day Facility Utilization........ 3-14 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1: Lake Chelan Recreation Sites ................................................................................................................. 1-5 Figure 1-2: Process Schematic................................................................................................................................... 1-6 Figure 6-1: Proposed Access to Chelan River ........................................................................................................... 6-7 Lake Chelan Project No. 637 Final SS/6060 Page ii December 7, 2001 Recreation Resources Management Plan SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the Plan 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 in May, 1926, by the Federal Power Commission, now Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Chelan PUD began the process of obtaining a new license for the Lake Chelan Project in early 1970. In December 1976, Chelan PUD submitted to the Federal Power Commission (now FERC), an Exhibit R Recreation Plan for the Lake Chelan Project. The Recreation Resource Management Plan was prepared in response to the Federal Power Commission's regulations under the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 18, Chapter 1, Section 16.6 and Section 4.41, which required Chelan PUD (as an applicant) to prepare an Exhibit R, Recreation Use Plan for the project waters and adjacent lands as part of Chelan PUD’s application for relicensing of the Lake Chelan Project. This plan updates the existing 1976 Exhibit R Recreation Plan for the Lake