The River Management Society is teaming with the National Association of Recreation Resource Planners (NARRP) to host our biennial symposium on river management. Recognizing resource protection as a core value, the symposium will explore how scientists, planners, and managers are maintaining or restoring ecosystem sustainability while providing opportunities for high quality recreation experiences on rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Participants at the symposium will interact with regional and national leaders in river conservation and recreation management through a diverse program.

Symposium Theme ~

Symposium Format ~

As with previous symposia, the format will provide two days of presentations and work sessions (on Tuesday and Thursday), with a day of field trips in between (Wednesday). There will also be organized and informal social events including an opening social, a “media night,” a closing banquet, and the ever-popular silent auction. Additional pre- and post symposium field trips and short courses may also be developed in conjunction with the symposium.

CLICK HERE for - Lodging Information

CLICK HERE for - Draft Program Structure and Topics

CLICK HERE for - Sponsorship & Exhibitor Brochure

CLICK HERE for - Sponsorship & Exhibitor Form

CLICK HERE for - Registration Form

Pre Symposium Workshop ~ Monday, May 17

Managing a Wild and Scenic River
This half-day workshop is focused on the intent of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the contents and process for developing a comprehensive river management plan (CRMP).  Through course materials and audience exercises, participants will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge in: 

• Protections provided in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
• The application of the protect and enhance mandate of Section 10(a) to interim management and development of a CRMP  
• How to evaluate a proposed project or new decision on federal land prior to completion of a CRMP
• How to establish a detailed river corridor boundary
• The protection and decision framework of a CRMP
• How to prepare a CRMP

The workshop will be organized by the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council. There is no additional charge for this workshop. Invited instructors include:

Jackie Diedrich, National Wild and Scenic Rivers Specialist, US Forest Service
Kristina Rylands, Acting Chief of Planning, Yosemite National Park
Bill Hansen, Program Leader, Water Rights Division, National Park Service
Joe Ashor, Wild and Scenic Rivers Specialist, Bureau of Land Management

Columbia River Gorge Plenary ~ Tuesday, May 18

The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area: 23 Years and Counting
The spectacular Columbia River Gorge is our first Congressionally-designated national scenic area, comprising a 300,000 acre bi-state, six county region. The federal law that created it calls for protecting and enhancing recreation, scenery, natural resources, and cultural heritage through a partnership between federal, state, local and tribal governments. Representatives from the Columbia River Gorge Commission and US Forest Service – Scenic Area Office will explain how the management plan for this unique area carries out this challenging mandate, and how the Vital Signs Indicators Project will provide critical new information to guide future decisions. Presenters will discuss innovative, regional approaches to recreation planning, resource protection and economic development.

Jill Arens, Executive Director, Columbia River Gorge Commission
Brian Litt, Principal Planner, Columbia River Gorge Commission
Stan Hinatsu, Recreation Planner, USDA Forest Service - Scenic Area Office

Summary of Concurrent Sessions ~

Note: The following summarizes invited presentations and a DRAFT symposium program. Times and presentation groupings may change due to cancellations or other considerations.

Tuesday early afternoon – 1:30 to 3:00 pm

A – Recreation Planning and Management

Coastal Resource Planning in Oregon – Current and Future Challenges

A coordinated panel on coastal resource planning will provide an overview of national and regional policies, then explore topics affecting large scale and site specific marine planning, including recreation-conservation challenges related to plovers, user conflicts due to emerging alternative energy industries, and implications of global and regional climate change. Panelists include:

Jessica Hamilton Keys, Natural Resource Policy Advisor to OR Governor Kulongoski
Robert Bailey, Manager, Oregon Coastal Management Program, Dept. of Land Conservation and Development
Laurel Hillmann, Coastal Resource Planner, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Dr. Michael Harte, Marine Resource Mgmt., Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University

B – Partnerships & Water Trails

No Child Left on the Shore

A coordinated session on involving youth and volunteers in river management activities. Moderated by Marcella Wells, Wells and Associates.

Cecilia Duer, National Boating and Water Safety Program, Spirit of America Foundation, Ohio
Ashley Hansen, Youth, Volunteers and Your River, The Student Conservation Association, Virginia
Tom Mottl, Crook County School District Natural Resources Education Program (NREP), BLM Oregon
Sarah Boario, Chugach Children's Forest , Chugach National Forest , USFS Alaska

C – Integrating Recreation and Conservation

Meramec Greenway , Missouri : 35 Years Renewing the Land and the Water
Lonny Boring, Great Rivers Greenway

The Influence of Re-Establishing Upstream Large Woody Material Transport Processes in the Green River , Washington
Tyler Patterson, Tacoma Public Utilities - Water Division

Using Science to Guide Development of Alternatives for the Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan
Jack Oelfke, NPS North Cascades
Jon Riedel, North Cascades National Park Service Complex

D – Restoration and Conservation

Perspectives on Dam Removal

A coordinated session organized and moderated by Thomas O’Keefe, American Whitewater. Dam removal has emerged as a legitimate restoration tool where the ecosystem and community benefits outweigh the services historically provided by the dam. This session reviews several large removal efforts underway in the Pacific Northwest and explore the importance of different roles stakeholders play in creating a successful project. Speakers include:

Introductory Remarks on Dam Removal
Chris Brown, Director of Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River Programs

An Advocate on Restoring the Rogue River
Bob Hunter, WaterWatch

A Project Manager on the Successful Removal of Hemlock Dam
Bengt Coffin, USFS

A Scientist’s Perspective on Developing a Successful Research Program (with Fish Recovery Examples from the Elwha, White Salmon, and Wind Rivers )
Pat Connolly, USGS

Recreational Impact Assessment: Valuation and Representation in Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Policy Development
Zachary Cole, University of Florida

E – Professional Development

Natural Resource Professionals in Legal Settings

A coordinated session on litigation issues for natural resource professionals, including:

Running the Rapids of Litigation: Five Keys for Agency Professionals
Geoff Huntington, Oregon State University and former Assistant Attorney General, Oregon Department of Justice

Judicial Doctrine Every Resource Professional Should Know
Glenn Haas, Colorado State University (emeritus)
Julia Olsen, University of Oregon Law School

Tuesday Late Afternoon – 3:30 to 5:00 pm

A – Recreation Planning and Management

Identifying Long-Term Changes in Campsite Conditions – Results from Eight Years of Campsite Monitoring on the Wild and Scenic Upper Missouri River
Neil Moisey, University of Montana
Mark Schaefer, Bureau of Land Management, Fort Benton , Montana

Developing a Visitor Capacity Strategy for the South Fork of the Snake River , Idaho
Monica Zimmerman, Upper Snake Field Office, BLM
Craig Watt, University of Idaho

Addressing User Capacity for Wild and Scenic River in Yosemite National Park : Applying Lessons Learned from a Decade of Planning and Legal Challenges
Jim Bacon, Yosemite National Park
Kristina Rylands, Yosemite National Park

A Regional Analysis of Water-Based Recreation Opportunities In Utah
William Spain, Utah State University / Entrix Inc.
Steven W Burr, Environment and Society, Utah State University
Dale Blahna, Pacific Northwest Region , United States Forest Service

B – Partnerships & Water Trails

Water Trail Trends, Development, and Sustainable Management

A coordinated panel moderated by Angie Tornes, National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program, including:

A Nationwide Network of Water Trails
Angie Tornes, National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program

How to Plan a Water Trail
Dan Miller, National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program

Cartographic Communication and Map Design for Water Trails
Matt Kania, Map Hero, Inc.

Partnering and Managing Water Trails for Sustainability
Sue Abbot, National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program

C – Integrating Recreation and Conservation

Oregon 's Experience in Defining and Protecting Access for River Recreation: Can I Float Through Here?

A coordinated panel organized by John Lilly, Oregon Department of State Lands (retired), including:

Murtha Ranch Acquisition
Tim Wood, Director, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Issue Overview: How Did We Get to Where We Are?
John Lilly, Oregon Department of State Lands (retired)

Oregon 's Public Use Doctrine
Lore Bensel, Assistant Attorney General, Oregon Department of Justice

Latest Developments in Public Access Issues
Louise Solliday, Director, Oregon Department of State Lands

D – Restoration and Conservation

Dam Removal and Environmental Education on the Sandy River , Oregon

A coordinated session organized by Thomas O’Keefe, American Whitewater, including:

A Dam Owner on Removing Marmot Dam
David Heintzman, Project Manager, Hydro Licensing, Portland General Electric

A Scientist on “The Story of Sediment”
Gordon Grant, Research Hydrologist, US Forest Service Pacific NW Research Station

Environmental Education and Community Partnership – Cascade Streamwatch
Bob Ratcliffe, Chief, National Recreation and Visitor Services Division, Bureau of Land Management.

E – Professional Development

A Symphony in Sustainable Community Planning = Google Earth + Socio-Economic Profile Systems + Pubic Interaction
Field practitioners illustrate how you can utilize powerful spatial instruments in concert with interactive processes (such as Google Earth, Google Maps, Community & County Scio-Economic Profile and Landscape Value Systems …etc.) for sustainable community based recreation planning. (United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil)

Terry Slider, USDA-Forest Service, Pacific Northwest, Regional Landscape Architect
Dr. Greg Brown, Central Washington University, Professor, Social Scientist
Dr. Pat Reed, USDA-Forest Service, Alaska, Regional Social Scientist
Todd Harbin- Independent Resources, Market Research Analysis
El Aran- Independent Resources, GIS Analysis

Thursday Early Morning – 8:00 to 9:30 am

A – Recreation Planning and Management

Evaluating social and behavioral conditions of recreational boating on the Highland Lakes of Texas
Tim Bradle, Lower Colorado River Authority
Dr. Gerard Kyle, Texas A&M University

Situational Influences on Acceptance of Coastal Recreation Management Strategies in Hawaii
Mark D. Needham, Oregon State University
Brian W. Szuster, University of Hawaii

Land Suitability Analysis of the Lower Platter River Corridor, NE
Matt Pillard, HDR Engineering, Inc.
Meghan Sittler, Director, Lower Platte River Corridor Alliance

A Master Plan and Management Plan for Spring Creek Canyon , PA
Andrew JG Schwartz, Environmental Planning and Design, LLC

B – Partnerships & Water Trails

Integrating Conservation and Statewide Water Trail Programs

A coordinated panel moderated by Corita Waters, National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program, including:

Breathing New Life into an Already Successful (4,300 miles, 46 years, 31 water trails) Statewide Program
Erik Wrede , Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Oregon’s Water Trails: Key Partners, Products, and Lessons Learned
Dan Miller, National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program
Jan Houck, Oregon Parks & Recreation Department

Partnerships and a Move Towards Sustainable Water Trail Development in Pennsylvania
Hannah E. Hardy, PA Environmental Council

C – Integrating Recreation and Conservation

Hydrokinetics and Recreation: New Licensing Challenges in River and Marine Settings
Joan Harn, Hydropower Assistance Program, National Park Service
Doug Whittaker, Confluence Research and Consulting
Rich Bowers, Hydropower Reform Coalition

FERC Licensing: Issues and Challenges
Mark Ivy, Recreation Division, FERC
Randy Thoreson, Hydropower Assistance Program, National Park Service
Susan Rosebrough, Hydropower Assistance Program, National Park Service

D – Restoration and Conservation

River Restoration in the Pacific Northwest and Relations to River Management and Recreation

A coordinated panel organized by the board of River Restoration Northwest will discuss restoring damaged aquatic systems while providing high-quality recreation experiences. The session will provide brief illustrations and insights to a wide range of river projects from highly urbanized settings, rural settings, agricultural settings, rangeland-forestland settings, small streams, and large-river main-stem settings. Speakers will address the commonality of planning and design, as well as major distinctions in planning, design, and construction, including distinctions between hard-fix and soft-fix design. Speakers include:

Janine Castro, PhD., Geomorphologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service
Anne MacDonald, P.G., Senior Geomorphologist, URS
Kelly Jorgensen, PhD., Ecologist, Kelley Jorgensen Consulting
Bernard Klatte, PhD., Fisheries Biologist, Army Corps of Engineers
Peter Klingeman, Ph.D., Water Resources Engineer and former Oregon State University professor
Ken Vigil, P.E., Water Resources Engineer, Vigil-Agrimis Inc.

E – Professional Development

Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Planning

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 mandated the periodic development of statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plans. This panel session will include the lead planners from states whose plans were considered for the NARRP/NPS-sponsored 2010 National Award of Excellence for SCORP Planning. These experts will share lessons learned and best practices, then host an interactive session to address future SCORP related challenges. The session will be moderated by Pat Gillespie, National Park Service.

Thursday Late Morning – 10:00 to 11:30 am

A – Recreation Planning and Management

Reconsidering Capacity Again: Agreements and Differences
“Capacity Work Group” including Doug Whittaker, Confluence Research and Consulting
David Cole, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute
Bo Shelby, Oregon State University
Robert Manning, University of Vermont
Glenn Haas, Colorado State University (emeritus) and Aukerman, Haas and Associates

Sharing Strategies for Visitor Use Management on Public Lands
Kerri Cahill, Visitor Use Specialist, National Park Service
Jim Bacon, Yosemite National Park

B – Partnerships

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System: Fostering Excellence in River Management
Brian Grimsey, Parks Canada , Canadian Heritage Rivers System

Brownfields Turning Blue: Community Redevelopment Along Urban Watersheds
Sera Janson Zegre , Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center

Working Effectively with Citizen Advisory Committees on Recreation Plans
Charlie Sperry , Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
Colin Maas, Smith River Manager, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
Chet Crowser, Blackfoot River Planning Coordinator, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks

C – Integrating Recreation and Conservation

Green Infrastructure: From Single Site to Region
Steve Duh, Alta Planning + Design
Jean Akers, Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Dept (WA)

The Return of Clear Creek - The Fish and the People
William Kuntz, BLM Redding Field Office

Uniting Nature and the Community Through Recreation
Barbara Romero, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
Joseph T. Edmiston, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Antonio Gonzales, Southwest Voter Registration Project
Raul Macias, Anahuak Youth Sports Association

Whitewater Parks: An Evolving Topic for River Managers
Risa Shimoda, The Shimoda Group, LLC

D – Restoration and Conservation

Can We Have Our River and Use It Too?

A "How-To" Work Session on Integrating River Restoration and Recreation

Let’s face it: recreation use, whether fishing or kayaking, can be pretty hard on riverbanks and riparian areas. Efforts to restore natural habitat conditions at popular recreation sites fail because the methods often used (e.g., hardened rock approaches) do not recreate original ecological conditions and in some cases, impede recreation use. Likewise, difficulties in managing people and facilities can undermine even the best restoration plans. Using the work by the BLM on the Madison River as a case study, we will show examples of projects using bioengineering instead of rock to restore outstanding streambank and riparian conditions while enhancing and expanding recreation opportunities. We’ll share the interdisciplinary planning and funding strategies used to get the projects off the ground, and provide the technical "how to" details that ensured success. Bring examples of your most popular recreation sites and your most degraded streambanks and we can brainstorm together! Session organizers include:

Jo Christensen, Fishery Biologist, Missoula Field Office BLM
Susan James, Recreation Specialist, Gallatin National Forest

E – Professional Development

Navigating Special Designations on Federal Lands
Brad Grenham, Solicitor''s Office , U.S. Dept. of the Interior

Avoid Bad Decisions Based on Differences in Analyses – Three Types of Interview Bias
Marshall E. Brown, Idaho Power

Getting a “Numeric Handle” on the Condition of your Campsites
Kevan Cooper, Forty Mile Wild and Scenic River , BLM-Alaska

Using the Right Message to Build Support for River Recreation and Protection
Jamie Mierau, American Rivers
Matt Rice, American Rivers

Thursday Early Afternoon – 1:00 to 2:30 pm

A – Recreation Planning and Management

Social and Resource Monitoring

This session will focus on river monitoring, consisting of two sub-themes. First, John Baas and Sergio Capozzi will discuss natural resource monitoring along river corridors. They will present current monitoring techniques and describe resource conditions using the results of two case studies (the Feather and Pit Rivers , in northern California ). Second, Robert Burns and Alan Graefe will discuss monitoring social conditions along a specific river corridor over a 20 year period. Several social indicators (crowding, conflict, wait times, and trip experience evaluations) will be discussed in terms of outfitted-guided and private use along the White Salmon River, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Washington.

Sergio Capozzi, Recreation Resource Planner, AECOM
John Baas, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Planner, Michael Brandman Associates
Robert Burns, Ph.D, West Virginia University
Alan Graefe, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University

B – Partnerships & Water Trails

Rx Play: Developing an Evidence-Based Physical Activity Program

A coordinated panel reviews national concerns about physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity and the role of parks and recreation in addressing this public health issue. It will focus in particular on the innovative Portland , Oregon Rx Play project. This pilot effort is establishing and testing the effectiveness of a childhood obesity prevention and treatment model combining clinician-based physical activity counseling with prescription and referral to community-based physical activity programs offered by local park and recreation departments. Discussion will focus on partnerships between the health care and parks & recreation systems.

Terry Bergerson, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Dr. Stewart Trost, Associate Professor, Oregon State University Departments of Nutrition and Exercise Science
Jean Rystrom, Regional Practice Director, Pediatrics: Kaiser Permanente

C – Integrating Recreation and Conservation

How Much Water Does a National Scenic River need? A Flow Initiative for Nebraska ’s Niobrara River
Bill Hansen, National Park Service
Larry Hutchinson , Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Defining and Integrating Whitewater Boating Flow Requirements with Ecological and Municipal Water Supply on the Green River, Washington
John Gangemi, OASIS Environmental
Jeff Frost, REC Resources

The Fledgling Science of Flow Restoration
Kevin Colburn, American Whitewater
Dave Steindorf, American Whitewater

D – Restoration and Conservation

Weaving the Tapestry of Recreation and Restoration: Trail & Park Development on the East Fork
Jean Akers, RLA, AICP, Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation
Lisa Goorjian, trail planner, Vancouver- Clark Parks & Recreation
Pat Lee, Clark County Legacy Lands Program

Riparian Recovery of the John Day Wild and Scenic River
Anna Smith, Bureau of Land Management
Heidi Mottl, Bureau of Land Management
Patrick Kollodge, Bureau of Land Management

Monitoring Riverbank Condition in Yosemite National Park
Todd Newburger, Social Scientist, Yosemite National Park
Jim Roche, Hydrologist, Yosemite National Park
David Pettebone, Social Scientist, Yosemite National Park

Minimalist Restoration in Wilderness Using Hand Labor
Charles Repath, Interdisciplinary Biologist, Yosemite National Park
Sue Beatty, Ecological Restoration Biologist, Yosemite National Park
Jim Roche, Hydrologist, Yosemite National Park

E – Professional Development

Laying the groundwork for Wild and Scenic Designation: Upper Skagit River (WA)
Susan Rosebrough, NPS, Rivers and Trails Program
Roy Zipp, North Cascades National Park

Protecting Wild and Scenic River Values through Land Conservation Partnerships on the Skagit River
Greta Movassaghi, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest , USDA Forest Service
Phil Kincare, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest , USDA Forest Service

Developing a River Management Plan: How Do I Get Started?

Stymied by where to start in developing a management plan for the area you manage? Please join others with responsibility to develop a management plan for a wild and scenic river, river, or another water-based setting to discuss “getting started.” The session will focus on developing a protection framework based on an area’s values and provide the opportunity to create a to-do list for kicking off your planning process.

Jackie Diedrich, National Wild and Scenic Rivers Specialist, US Forest Service
Kristina Rylands, Acting Chief of Planning, Yosemite National Park
Bill Hansen, Program Leader, Water Rights Division, National Park Service
Joe Ashor, Wild and Scenic Rivers Specialist, Bureau of Land Management

Poster Session ~ Tuesday May, 18, 5:00 to 6:00     Click here for Poster Session Guidelines

In addition to concurrent and plenary sessions, the symposium has a dedicated poster session after the first day of presentations, and posters will be displayed throughout the symposium in the meeting room hallways and amongst the auction and sponsor/vendor displays. This provides informal opportunities to learn and discuss other work in river and recreation management. A list of invited poster topics and authors follows:

Bridging the Platte : Agency Partnerships in the Management and Protection of the Lower Platte River
Ariana Kennedy, Dan Schulz, and Meghan Sittler, Lower Platte South NRD ; Tim Montgomery, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission; and Gerry Bowen, Papio-Missouri River NRD

Navigating Class V Barriers in River Permit Management – Automating Trip Tickets
Nanette Gale, Forest Service

Grand Canyon River Permits: Waitlist to Weighted Lottery
Steve Sullivan, Grand Canyon National Park

Colorado River in Grand Canyon Resource Stewardship Program - Monitoring and Adaptive Management
Linda Jalbert, Grand Canyon National Park

Crowding and its Impact on Boater Satisfaction
Gerard Kyle Texas A&M University

Beaver Creek National Wild River , Alaska : Economic Valuation of Recreation
Lumir Lang, University of Alaska Fairbanks

To Limit or Not to Limit, Another First in River Management ( Deschutes River , OR )
Thomas Mottl, Bureau of Land Management and Brain Cunningham, Warm Springs Tribes

GPS -Based Underwater Video for Aquatic Habitat Mapping
Paul Ayers, Bryan McConkey, JR Candlish, Ken Swinson, University of Tennessee

Quantifying Dispersed Recreational Use along Hydrologic Features in Yosemite National Park
David Pettebone, Bret Meldrum, Todd Newburger, and Tim Martel, Yosemite National Park

Does Size or Number of Boats Matter? Dimensionality of Encounter Norms at Molokini , Hawaii
Caitlin M. Bell and Mark Needham, Oregon State University and Brian W. Szuster, University of Hawaii

Facility Carrying Capacity Indicators for Coastal Recreation in Hawaii : Extending the Encounter – Norm – Crowding Generalization
Robyn L. Ceurvorst and Mark Needham, Oregon State University

Partnership-Based Integrated Recreational Resources Stewardship
Neal Bedlan, Ryan Cooper, and Dan Wiley, National Park Service, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

The Snake River Fund - A Voluntary Donation Program in lieu of Fee Demo
David Cernicek, Bridget-Teton National Forest

The Columbia River Renaissance Trail: A Rediscovery Project Of Politics, Planning, And Partnerships in Vancouver , Washington
Lisa Goorjian, Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Dept. ASLA

Who Are These Folks at the Campfire and Why Are They Here?
Laurie Heupel, National Park Service and Barbara Kubik, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation

Roanoke River Partners Camping & Paddling Trail
Lucia Peel, Roanoke River Partners

Large Landscape Level Collaboration for America ’s Mightiest River :
Liz Smith-Incer and Diana Allen, NPS Rivers & Trails Program

An Environmental Education Outreach Program for the Lower Salmon River , Idaho
Richard Young, University of Idaho

Beyond The Bank: A Community's Green Infrastructure
Jean Akers, RLA, AICP Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation and Steven Duh, ALTA planning and design

Single Track Minded: A Socio-Ecological Examination of Mountain Bikers’ Relationship With Nature
Hanno Murphy and Jessica Chin, San José State University

Innovative Partnerships for Managing Rivers: Idaho Power Flow Monitors
Carl Rundberg , Idaho Power Hydrologist

The Beaver River Conservation and Management Plan
Andrew JG Schwartz Project Technical Planner: Environmental Planning

Dam Removal Benefits Analysis from a Recreational Perspective
Ting-Bing Wu and Stephen Holland, University of Florida

Building Reslience into Restoration
Kavita Heyn, American Rivers

Planning For Financial and Operational Success
Alternative Funding – Filling the Gap
Prioritizing Assets and Amenities
Teresa Penbrooke, CPRP GP RED

Changing Directions of River-Based Recreation Access Law and Policy
J. Adam Beeco and Caitlin Dyckman, Clemson Univiersity

Using GPS to Understand Use Patterns and Impacts of Water-Based Recreationists: An Examination of
Boating At Lake Umbagog ( New Hampshire and Maine )
Jeff Hallo and J. Adam Beeco, Clemson University

Pre-Symposium Field Trip ~

Enjoy three days and two nights on one of your wild and scenic rivers in sunny central Oregon before the symposium starts. This 45-mile whitewater ride through Class I-IV rapids will be hosted by the Bureau of Land Management who cooperatively manages the river with 7 other managing agencies. Along with great scenery, buffet meals, fines wines in camp and enjoyable company, many river topics will be discussed along the way. The Lower Deschutes River is a learning ground to compare notes and share ideas as managers aim to please its 250,000 visitors and protect the resources every year by tackling challenging issues routinely.

This trip is one for the novice boater as well as the expert river runner as Ouzel Outfitters provides us with a Class Act on the river. Ouzel will provide a professionally guided trip to include boats, kayaks, all camping gear as needed, wetsuits and paddle jackets/pants. You will leave more informed about wild and scenic rivers along with good memories, a suntan and a free t-shirt and water bottle for souvenirs.

Trip Cost: - $525/person
Trip includes all food, gear, and transportation.
(Minimum: 8 and maximum number of boaters: 16)

Trip Begins on Saturday, May 15, 2010
Leave Portland at 7:30 am (2 hour trip)
Arrive Warm Springs, OR at 9:30 am

 Trip Ends on Monday, May 17, 2010
Leave Maupin, OR in afternoon (2 hour trip)
Arrive Portland, OR around 5 pm

Symposium Field Trips ~ Wednesday

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area – Travels through a Postcard`
This all day bus tour will explore the rich natural, cultural, and geological wonders of the crown jewel of the Northwest, the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area. Your tour route will follow the “Mighty Columbia” and its tributaries to experience the wide variety of recreational and environmental stewardship issues that surround this heavily used natural wonder. Learn from land managers and stakeholder’s techniques for effectively managing this heavily visited area, while still protecting the resources that make it such a unique natural wonder. Stops will include Crown Point viewing area and museum, popular Multnomah Falls, and Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery. There will be opportunities for short hikes along the itinerary. Truly a fantastic trip through a postcard!

Sandy River Basin Restoration Field Trip
Join staff from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Western Rivers Conservancy and Portland General Electric to learn about the challenges and opportunities for restoring fish and wildlife habitat and providing new recreational opportunities within the Sandy River Basin. The tour will start with site visits to several restoration projects that the BLM is currently coordinating within the Basin, most notably the work that has been done to date on the historic Marmot Dam Site, the larges dam to be removed in the Pacific Northwest. You will also visit the Wildwood Recreation Site where staff members of BLM and Wolftree, a non-profit environmental education group will talk about the Cascade Streamwatch (CSW) interpretive site, one of the few places visitors can view salmon in their native habitat - from under the water! The CSW tour will offer discussions and insight regarding this sucessful15-year partnership that has engaged over 10,000 youth in the outdoors and natural resource sciences. Field trip highlights will include dam removal, habitat restoration, environmental education, and recreation planning and project management.

White Salmon River Rafting
Experience first hand the White Salmon's beauty, grace and white water! Snowmelt from high on the slopes of Mt Adams and riverside springs throughout the canyon section provide a unique combination of water flow. You'll leave Portland in the morning and travel through the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area on the way to join our commercial outfitter at BZ Corners, Washington. The three-hour float will cover most of the Wild and Scenic portion of the White Salmon. The outfitter will provide paddle rafts, expert guides, paddle jackets, booties and farmer john wet suites and transportation to the put in and back to their offices to meet your bus for the return trip to your hotel.

Clackamas River Rafting
The Clackamas River is one of the premier whitewater rivers in Oregon. Lush old-growth forests line the bank of this steep canyon and reflect off the crystal clear water. Participants will visit the Faraday Diversion Dam to review findings from a "controlled flow study" for boating on a two mile reach below the dam and hear from Portland General Electric staff about fishery and recreation issues during re-licensing. Following this, participants will boat the 13-mile "Three Lynx Reach," a popular Class III/IV whitewater boating run, with stops to discuss additional re-licensing issues as we pass the Three Lynx Powerhouse, boating access sites, and boating attractions such as "Bob's Hole" (among the most popular "park 'n surf" attractions in the northwest). The trip will be accompanied by outfitters, PGE staff, researchers, and stakeholders who can offer diverse perspectives on Clackamas re-licensing and flow-recreation studies in general.

Lower Deschutes Wild and Scenic River
If you missed the three-day pre-symposium river trip on the Lower Deschutes, you can still run the river for the day. Join in on this 4-hour whitewater river ride down the 13-mile “splash and giggle” section. You will enjoy a professionally guided trip by Imperial River Company through our well-known Maupin stretch of Class I-III whitewater rapids. This trip is for the novice boater as well as the expert river runner to experience. A hot barbeque lunch is provided midway through the float trip right along the river on Imperial River Company’s beautiful green lawn. Your boat and river gear such as wetsuits, paddle jackets/pants are provided.

Lower Columbia River Water Trail Paddle Trip
Paddle the Columbia River Water Trail where you will experience a variety of conditions that affect recreation activities. Tomahawk and Hayden Islands offer a convenient paddling destination close to the city and accessible by all skill levels. A variety of birds and wildlife are often seen as we slip around the puzzle pieces of land and explore paths once traveled by Native Americans and Lewis and Clark. The scenery varies from neighborhoods of floating homes to isolated sandy river beaches and remote wildlife habitat to commercial uses of the Columbia River. All paddling gear including boats, paddles, PFDs, paddling jackets, shoes, etc. can be provided.

Willamette River (Ross Island) Paddle Trip
The Willamette River is the longest tributary of the Columbia River in Oregon and runs through 60% of the state's population. The Willamette has and does play an important part in the history of Oregon. More than 65 entities along the river have joined together to plan and develop a 65-mile water trail. Participants will travel to the headquarters of Willamette Riverkeeper to hear a discussion on the partnership to develop the water trail, conservation efforts and the recent acquisition of a 45-acre natural portion of Ross Island. Immediately afterward, participants will paddle from Willamette Riverkeeper to Ross Island and back. This flat-water paddle will showcase the urban portion of the water trail including paddling underneath bridges, along urban developments and a contrasting opportunity for escape on the relatively pristine portion of Ross Island.

Portland Bicycling Trip
Take a bike tour of one of the most bike friendly towns in the country! Starting near downtown Portland, Peddle Bike Tours will guide us to a few stops to point out Portland's colorful history and present. We will continue onto the River Front Park¹s Esplanade and floating walkway, connect to the Springwater trail where Portland¹s Parks and Recreation staff will show us some trail gaps and how they are addressing them, bike boulevards and ways to combine trails with commuting. We will have a bag lunch on the Springwater (each bike has a little handle bar bag on it to carry the lunch). The trip will be about 15 miles at a recreational pace.

Sandy Ridge Trail Development Trip
Join recreation planners from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), trail designers from the International Mountain Bike Association and landscape architects to learn about a multi-year planning process that successfully developed new aquatic and terrestrial based recreation opportunities along the Sandy River. The tour will provide the opportunity for participants to observe machine built trail construction and interact with trail experts from IMBA’s trial solution team to learn about techniques associated with sustainable trail planning, design and construction. Trip highlights include the opportunity to learn about interagency planning and adopting trail agreements, the design charette process for determining appropriate levels of facility development, general trail layout and design tips, OHV management strategies, machine built trail construction techniques and processes associated with sustainable recreation development.

Trout Creek & White Salmon Dam Removal Field Trip
Join staff from US Forest Service, American Whitewater, PacifiCorp, and Friends of the Columbia Gorge to learn about river restoration through dam removal in the Columbia Gorge. With recent projects to remove dams on the Sandy River and Trout Creek and upcoming projects to remove dams on the White Salmon and Hood River , the Columbia Gorge is the site of some of the most important river restoration efforts in the region. Our journey will start with a visit to Trout Creek, a key tributary of the Wind River with important steelhead habitat now made more accessible through the removal of Hemlock Dam, an outdated hydropower dam that was not generating power but was continuing to impede fish migration and affect water temperature. This will be an opportunity to witness first hand the restoration of Trout Creek which has been returned to its natural course after decades and learn from project managers who have navigated the project through various social, legal, and operational challenges. Our next stop will be to the White Salmon River which is currently blocked by Condit Dam, a hydropower project that was constructed without fish passage. A settlement agreement calls for removal of this dam as more cost effective than relicensing the hydropower project. We will hike along the gorge and visit the dam site. On our return trip to Portland we will experience the scenery of the Columbia Gorge.

Rediscovering the Abandoned Historic Columbia River Highway Field Trip
Pack your hiking shoes, this six hour excursion will offer a “behind the scenes” tour of the Historic Columbia River Highway , a National Historic Landmark. The day will include a tour of both the restored portions of the highway as well as those presently abandoned sections awaiting restoration as a multi use trail. This will not be your typical tour of the highway. We will skip the most often visited sites and spend time discovering the forgotten beauty of the highway and its cultural landscape. We will head east out of Portland along the Historic Columbia River Highway, America’s first Scenic Highway . Many of these tour stops are not open to the public, participants will have a sneak peak at the challenges and opportunities associated with trail construction in the Gorge. We will be stopping for a picnic lunch besides a beautiful waterfall. Participants will learn about the road’s history as the first scenic highway in the United States – especially how its design was sensitive to the Columbia River Gorge’s natural landscape, view first hand the abandoned sections of the roadway and understand the great challenges and opportunities awaiting the reconnection of the Highway as a trail through the Gorge.

Planning Ahead and Lodging ~

We hope you'll use the symposium as an excuse to see the great Northwest at a sublime time of the year. With its wild coast, ancient forests, rollicking rivers, and high Cascades, the area is a premier national destination for outdoor enthusiasts. RMS and NARRP have also organized a pre-symposium trip for professionals who have more time to explore the region.

The symposium will be held at Portland's Red Lion Inn on the River (http://www.redlion.com/jantzenbeach), which is situated on the banks of the mighty Columbia. Hotel costs meet government per diem rates.

Deadline for special room rate is April 26th. To make a reservation, call (503) 283-4466 or 1-800-733-5466 and ask for the "2010 Joint RMS NAARP Symposium" rate, which is $120/night for single/double occupancy. Children under 18 do not incur an additional charge. Any adult over two in the room does incur $10.00 per person. Room cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance.

Pets are allowed. Guests that are part of the R&R club and have their pets registered travel free, and those that are not are charged at $25.00 non refundable pet fee. All guestrooms are nonsmoking.

The hotel has a complimentary shuttle from the airport (15 minutes) so you don’t need a rental car. Downtown Portland is about seven miles away, and available by public transportation.

• Portland is a major airline hub serviced by several airlines, including Alaska, American, Continental, Frontier, Horizon, JetBlue, Northwest, Southwest, United, and US Airways.
• There will be a silent auction and vendor displays available throughout the symposium.

Registration ~

We offer a variety of registration options to accomodate a range of schedules and affiliations. We also encourage you to take advantage of early registration discounts. RMS and NARRP are primarily volunteer organizations. Sharing knowledge through papers and presentations is one way to volunteer, while others contribute to the organization and symposium in other ways. All volunteers, members, and presenters are expected to register and pay for the symposium.

Early Discount - RMS/NARRP Member Only - (register before March 1) $350.00
Early Discount - Public - (register before March 1) $400.00
Late - RMS/NARRP Member Only - (register on or after March 1) $450.00
Early Discount - Public - (register on or after March 1) $500.00
Student - (currently enrolled with valid ID) $175.00
Single Day - Tuesday (includes Opening Reception and River Media Night) $200.00
Single Day - Thursday (includes Auction and Closing Banquet Dinner) $200.00

For complete details, please visit the registration form.

Partners ~

Several agencies and organizations are helping organize or supporting the symposium, including:

• American Whitewater
• American Rivers
• Army Corps of Engineers
• Columbia River Gorge Commission
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Hydro Reform Coalition
• National Park Service
• Oregon State Parks
• Oregon Division of Lands
• River Restoration Northwest
• U.S.D.A. Forest Service
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Washington State Parks

For More Information ~

For questions regarding the symposium, please contact the co-chairs:
Denny Huffman at  rapids39@comcast.net
Rick Just at  Rick.Just@idpr.idaho.gov

For questions regarding the symposium program, please contact the program co-chairs:
Doug Whittaker at dougwhit@alaska.net
Glenn Haas at glennehaas@comcast.net