River Stewardship Toolkit
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River Stewardship Toolkit To conserve and restore America's whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.” Contributors: John Gangemi, Western Conservation and Access Director Kevin Colburn, Eastern Conservation and Access Director Jason Robertson, Policy Director Tim Kelly, American Whitewater Board, Safety Committee Chair Charlie Walbridge, American Whitewater Board, Safety Committee Lee Belknap, American Whitewater Board, Safety Committee Kevin Lewis, American Whitewater Board September 2004 ©American Whitewater Table of Contents Ch apter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 American Whitewater’s History ...................................................................................................... 5 1.2 American Whitewater’s Program Areas ......................................................................................... 6 1.3 American Whitewater’s River Stewardship Program ................................................................... 6 1.4 The River Stewardship Toolkit ........................................................................................................ 7 1.5 American Whitewater Affiliate Paddling Clubs ............................................................................. 7 Ch apter 2: Regulated Rivers: American Whitewater’s Hydropower Program ........................ 8 2.1 American Whitewater’s Regulated Rivers Program ...................................................................... 9 2.2 How Dams Impact Rivers ............................................................................................................... 10 2.3 River Renewal: Restoring Rivers Through the FERC Relicense Process .................................. 19 2.4 FERC Jurisdiction ........................................................................................................................... 20 2.5 Balance of Power .............................................................................................................................. 21 2.6 The Relicensing Process .................................................................................................................. 22 2.7 Filing Comments with the FERC ................................................................................................... 26 2.8 Micro Hydro ..................................................................................................................................... 28 2.9 Hydrology: Collecting and Analyzing the Data ............................................................................ 29 2.10 The Natural Hydrograph Concept ............................................................................................. 31 2.11 Project Economics: Calculating the Cost of Instream Flows ................................................... 37 2.12 Whitewater Flow Studies ............................................................................................................ 41 2.13 Dam Removal ............................................................................................................................... 51 Ch apter 3: Protecting Rivers: Using Federal and State Regulations ........................................ 52 3.1 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ................................................................................. 53 3.2 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act ............................................................................................................ 56 3.3 Wilderness Act ................................................................................................................................. 57 3.4 Endangered Species Act .................................................................................................................. 58 3.5 Water Quality Regulations ............................................................................................................. 59 3.6 The Ecology and Conservation of Riparian Areas ....................................................................... 62 3.7 Land Management Practices Impacting Rivers ........................................................................... 64 Ch apter 4: Collaboration, Coalitions and Negotiations: The Zen of Getting to Yes ................. 69 4.1 Working with State and Federal Agencies .................................................................................... 69 4.2 Collaboration and Coalition Building ............................................................................................ 73 4.3 Interest Based Negotiations ............................................................................................................ 76 4.4 Writing Effectively ........................................................................................................................... 79 4.5 Working with the Media ................................................................................................................. 82 4.6 Campaign Organization .................................................................................................................. 86 Ch apter 5: The Paddler’s Footprint ........................................................................................... 88 5.1 Leave No Trace: The Paddlers’ Footprint. .................................................................................. 89 5.2 River Modification Regulations ...................................................................................................... 90 5.3 Large Woody Debris Removal Ecology and Ethics ...................................................................... 93 5.4 Sharing the Rivers: Managing and Minimizing Recreational User Conflicts ........................... 96 5.5 The Economic Impacts of River Recreation ............................................................................... 102 5.6 Whitewater Parks – Considerations and Case Studies. ............................................................ 105 Ch apter 6: American Whitewater’s River Access Program ...................................................... 112 6.1 American Whitewater Access Toolbox ........................................................................................ 113 6.2 Recreational Access ....................................................................................................................... 115 Ch apter 7: Navigability Primer .................................................................................................. 127 7.1 Importance of Proper Legal Representation .............................................................................. 127 7.2 Federal Navigability Interests: ..................................................................................................... 128 7.3 State Navigability Interests: .......................................................................................................... 129 7.4 Navigability Defined ...................................................................................................................... 129 7.5 The Submerged Lands Act and navigability ............................................................................... 132 7.6 The "equal footing” doctrine ........................................................................................................ 132 7.7 The "Public Trust” Doctrine ........................................................................................................ 133 7.8 Applying the public trust on rivers flowing through public lands ............................................ 133 7.9 Applying the public trust on rivers flowing through private lands .......................................... 134 7.10 Landowner Or Riparian Ownership Rights .......................................................................... 142 7.11 The Sea and Its Arms are Navigable ....................................................................................... 145 7.12 Tribal and Indian Land Grants and Treaties ........................................................................ 146 7.13 Expanding and Preserving Navigability Access Rights ........................................................ 146 7.14 History of Navigability .............................................................................................................. 148 7.15 Learn More about Navigability ............................................................................................... 166 7.16 Access Closures for “Security” .................................................................................................. 166 Ch apter 8: Boater Registration ................................................................................................. 169 8.1 Reasons To Oppose Registration Requirements ......................................................................... 169 8.2 States With Canoe & Kayak Registration Requirements .......................................................... 171 8.3 Determining Whether a Registration Bill is in The Public Interest? ........................................ 171 8.4 How Can You Fight A Bill That Proposes The Registration Of Paddlecraft? ........................ 172 8.5 River Safety and Boat Registration .............................................................................................. 173 8.6 Sample Letter ................................................................................................................................