Sequoia and Kings Canyon General Management Plan

The General Management Plan for Sequoia and Kings Canyon is being updated. Written Public Comment is being accepted through October 6, 2004
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS and MIDDLE AND SOUTH FORKS OF THE KINGS RIVER AND NORTH FORK OF THE KERN RIVER
The subject of Kayaking in The National Parks is addressed in this document. The recommended alternative will result in minor changes to the current river use policy.
"The purpose of the Draft General Management Plan is to establish a vision for what Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks should be, including desired future conditions for natural and cultural resources, as well as for visitor experiences. This document also includes a comprehensive river managementplan for the portions of the Middle and South Forks of the Kings River and the North Fork of the Kern River, which have been designated by Congress as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system. The purpose of the river management plan is to provide direction and overall guidance on the management of lands and uses within the river corridors. This NPS comprehensive management plan will guide park management for the next 15 - 20 years."

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Website Documents including the Draft General Management Plan

Post your input to the GMP on the Sequoia and Kings Canyon Website. This is an opportunity for the kayaking community to comment and help infuence policy relating to kayaking within the park.

Public Comment Meetings Schedule meetings occuring 7-14-04 through 7-22-04

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Draft General Management Plan Volume 1

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Draft General Management Plan Volume 1 Download the pdf (7.1MB) Recommended to right click the link and "Save Link As" so you have it on your hard drive for faster future access and reduce future load on my webserver
This document does not seem to be available online at Sequoia and Kings Canyon website. The Kaweah River Page has obtained a copy of the document that can be downloaded here
See pages 5, 20-23, 35, and 90-110 for the sections concerned with management of the rivers withing the parks

Page 35
Kayaking has also become popular during certain seasons, but it involves risk and requires a great deal of expertise, and there are no beginner kayaking rivers in the parks.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Draft General Management Plan Volume 2

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Draft General Management Plan Volume 2 Download the pdf (4.8 MB) Recommended to right click the link and "Save Link As" so you have it on your hard drive for faster future access and reduce future load on my webserver
This document does not seem to be available online at Sequoia and Kings Canyon website. The Kaweah River Page has obtained a copy of the document that can be downloaded here
See pages 25-31, 64 and 172-186, 265, 273, 280, 285, 291 for the sections concerned with management of the rivers withing the parks.

Page 64 addresses kayaking on the Middle fork under "New or Non-established Recreational Activities"
"In the last five years, when water conditions are high enough, visitors have introduced kayaking to the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River. The river has class IV conditions, appropriate only for expert kayakers. Use of the Middle Fork inside the park by kayakers is seasonal, but is subject to growth. NPS staff are monitoring use and the associated impacts along the river."

Page 265 No Action Alternative
Watercraft — Nonmotorized watercraft use would continue to be allowed except on the South Fork of the Kings River in the Cedar Grove area. On rivers where use is allowed, it would not be regulated. The resulting impact would be negligible to minor, beneficial, and long term for those seeking this type of experience.

Page 273 Preferred Alternative
Nonmotorized Watercraft — Nonmotorized watercraft would continue to be allowed except on the South Fork of the Kings River. A study of watercraft use (primarily kayak) would be undertaken on the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River. No commercial use would be allowed. Developed river access points at popular waterplay areas, which would reduce bank erosion, vegetative impacts, and littering, could also provide access for nonmotorized watercraft users since the recreational waterplay and watercraft seasons do not overlap. As such, the preferred alternative would have a minor, beneficial, long-term impact on those few visitors seeking opportunities to use nonmotorized watercraft on park rivers.


Page 280 Alternative A
Nonmotorized Watercraft — Nonmotorized watercraft would be discouraged, resulting in a negligible to minor, adverse, long-term impact on recreational opportunities since the number of visitors enjoying this activity is low but has been growing in recent years.

Page 285 Alternative C
Nonmotorized Watercraft — Nonmotorized watercraft would be allowed with regulation on park rivers, with minor, beneficial, long-term impacts on watercraft users.

Page 291 Alternative D
Nonmotorized Watercraft — Like the preferred alternative, nonmotorized watercraft would be allowed with regulation, and access points would be designated. The result would be minor, beneficial, long-term impacts on the small but increasing number of visitors using nonmotorized watercraft.

Note: Italicized text has been excepted from the Sequoia and Kings Canyon website or excerpted from the Draft General Management Plan Documents to aid in the finding of pertinent policy relating to the recreational management of the rivers within the parks.


Kaweah River Page, http://c2.com/kaweah/ Copyright © 2004 by Bill Pooley. All rights reserved.

This page is http://c2.com/kaweah/seki_gmp.html

Last modified: 07.18.04