Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on a draft recreation management plan and environmental assessment for Smith River State Park and river corridor, popular among boaters, campers and anglers who apply annually for a permit to float the 59-mile-long stretch of river.
"The draft plan establishes a vision for recreation management of the Smith River, which was designed in part by a citizens advisory committee," said Chas Van Genderen, FWP’s interim Parks Division administrator. "The environmental assessment evaluates several management alternatives, including making no changes to existing management approaches."
The EA analyzes predicted impacts on biological, physical, social, economic, cultural, aesthetic and administrative factors, Van Genderen said.
The draft management plan, which would update the current 12-year-old plan, is based in part on the recommendations of the Smith River Citizens Advisory Committee that met 12 times over the past 16 months. The committee included two Smith River landowners, two county commissioners, two river recreationists, two Smith River outfitters, two FWP staffers, and two U.S. Forest Service representatives.
The public is invited to review and comment on the 129-page draft plan and EA through Jan. 30, 2009. Copies of the plan and EA are available online at fwp.mt.gov. Click "Smith River Plan."
The draft Smith River management plan and EA address several key issues identified by the advisory committee, FWP staff, and Smith River floater-comment logs. The primary issues include floater opportunities, boat-camp selection, user fees, river capacity and social conditions, a pet policy, boat-camp management, human-waste management, and outfitter administration, Van Genderen said.
The draft plan would establish a random selection process for boat camps; retain pit toilets and implement a voluntary human waste pack-out program; prohibit pets on float trips; and establish a minimum age requirement—16 years old—for permit applicants.
FWP will host a series of community open houses in January to discuss the draft plan and EA. The public is invited to show up any time between 5-8 p.m. at the following locations:
Jan. 12 Helena Red Lion Colonial Hotel, 2301 Colonial Dr.
Jan. 13 Great Falls Great Falls Civic Center, 2 Park Dr. S.
Jan. 14 White Sulphur Springs, Senior Citizen Center, 101 1st Ave. SE 2 Park Dr. S
Jan. 21 Missoula Best Western Grant Creek Inn, 5280 Grant Creek Rd.
Jan. 22 Billings Billings Hotel & Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney
"We want to invite Montanans and others to help us identify the best practices for managing this beloved recreational resource," Van Genderen said. "FWP’s goal is to deliver a plan that provides clear management direction for the Smith River and strikes an appropriate balance between public use, and the enjoyment and stewardship of the natural, cultural, and recreational resources that make the Smith River a very special place."
The deadline to comment is Jan. 30, 2009. Comments may be submitted in writing at the open houses, via e-mail to smithcomments@mt.gov, or online at fwp.mt.gov—click "Smith River Plan." Mail written comments to: Smith River Plan; Montana FWP Headquarters; P.O. Box 200701; Helena., MT 59620-0701.
Copies of the Smith River management plan and EA are also available from most FWP offices, or by calling 406-444-3750.
Last year, more than 5,800 people, the most ever, applied for about 900 Smith River float permits. The peak of the float season runs from mid-May to early July. On average, it’s a four-day, 59-mile float that begins at Camp Baker, near White Sulphur Springs, and ends at Eden Bridge, near Ulm.
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