Title
Parks, a division of the Chief Administrative Office, recommends the Parks and Recreation Commission:
1) Receive a presentation on River Management Plan Updates; and
2) Discuss and provide input to staff on proposed updates to the Draft 2025 River Management Plan and El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 5.48 Streams and Rivers Commercial Boating.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The El Dorado County River Management Plan (RMP) was developed to manage use on the 20.7-mile segment of the South Fork of the American River between Chili Bar Dam and the confluence of the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Since the early 1980’s, the County has managed commercial and non-commercial river recreation to enhance public health, safety, welfare of river users and landowners, and to protect the riparian environment.
On January 18, 2024 (Legistar 24-0132), the Parks and Recreation Commission discussed and provided input on the Draft RMP Five-Year Summary for the period of 2019 to 2023.
The five-year summary is intended to provide opportunities for ongoing refinement of the RMP in response to results of annual operations review to ensure public safety, environmental protection, and the most efficient use of County resources. It also provides an opportunity to review the adopted and implemented management actions and impact mitigation measures to ensure that they remain meaningful and responsive to current guidance provided by the Board, the public, advisory committees, and other county departments.
RMP Recommended Updates
The existing 2018 RMP has been updated to reflect the changes recommended by staff and the PRC as provided during the review of the Draft 2025 Five-Year Summary on January 18, 2024 (Legistar 24-0132). There are a total of fourteen staff and PRC recommendations that have been incorporated into the Draft 2025 RMP Update for review and consideration, as described below.
On June 24, 2025 (Legistar 25-0982), the Board provided conceptual approval, pursuant to Board Policy A-3, to amend County Ordinance Section 5.48, Streams and Rivers Commercial Boating, and directed staff to evaluate the current fee structure and assess possible fee increases. Staff also propose recommended updates to Section 5.48 for review and consideration.
The following subjects are presented for consideration:
1. Chapter I, South Fork American River Flow Regime, Operation of SMUD’s UARP and PG&E Operation of Chili Bar
This section needs to be updated to reflect the change in ownership and operation of Chili Bar Dam which is now solely operated by SMUD and no longer has any PG&E involvement.
2. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 1, Educational Programs, 1.8 Guide Education Programs, 1.8.2
The County will no longer host a day long pre-season guide orientation workshops each year. Instead, outfitters will certify their guides have received orientation training including river safety, etiquette, and sensitivity to residents and local merchants.
3. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.1: Annual River Use Permits 6.2.1.1 The term of River Use permit
Annual River Use Permits - The Stream and Rivers Commercial Boating Ordinance Chapter 5.48 governs River Use Permit application procedures and standards. The ordinance requires any entity conducting commercial trips on the South Fork to obtain a River Use Permit and requires that such entity meet and follow applicable insurance requirements; provides authority to the Planning Commission to approve River Use Permits for a three-year term; establishes standards for a River Use Permit application, termed the “river use plan”; and establishes a procedure to appeal the decision of the Planning Commission to the County Board of Supervisors.
Staff recommends eliminating the three-year term. Permits are reviewed annually and keeping track of separate three-year terms for every outfitter can be unnecessarily time consuming with no direct purpose.
4. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.1: Annual River Use Permits, 6.2.1.3 River Use Permit Allocation 6.2.1.3.4 “flex” allocation
Staff recommends updating this section to include language stating that current flex permits will remain, but no new flex permits can be created by lowering permit user days.
5. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.1: Annual River Use Permits, 6.2.1.3 River Use Permit Allocation 6.2.1.3.5 User Days Cannot be loaned or borrowed
Staff recommends that this section is revised to clarify that user days can be transferred (per section 6.2.1.4.2) but cannot be loaned or borrowed.
6. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.1: Annual River Use Permits, 6.2.1.4 River Use Permit Transfers 6.2.1.4.1 For any proposed transfer of a River Use Permit
Staff recommends revising this section to remove the need to go to the Planning Commission and just process the transfer of river use permits ministerially through the Parks Division.
7. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.1: Annual River Use Permits, 6.2.1.4 River Use Permit Transfers 6.2.1.4.2 Consolidation of River Use Permits
Staff recommends that outfitters that hold multiple permits be required to consolidate their permits into a single permit. This would both cut down on staff time to administer permits as well as save outfitters money as there is a $200 renewal fee they pay on a per permit basis annually to cover staff time spent on renewing said permits.
8. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.2: Maximum Group Size
This section regulates boat density on the river. Subsection 6.2.2.1 says, “With the exception of Element 6.2.2.6, the number of boats in each group on the South Fork will be limited to 7 and will not exceed 56 people (passengers, guests, guides) per group. If more than one group is traveling together, each group must have a five-minute period between launches from Chili Bar to below Hospital Bar rapid and when launching trips from other put in’s and lunch stops in between. On the river each group will then stay out of sight of each other (lead boat cannot see last boat from other group).” The commercial outfitters have recently voiced concerns on this rule, especially with regard to large or multiple permits being used simultaneously by a single company. For this issue as well, staff intends to consult the commercial outfitters to clarify practices and possible edit this section of the RMP in order to clarify intent.
9. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.6 County Operating Reports and Fees 6.2.6.1 Enforce the Permit Allocation System 6.2.6.1.4 Fail to deliver an operating report
Staff recommends revising this section to make it clear that payment of user day fees is part of the required monthly operating report and failure to submit payment with the monthly EMOR will result in a class I violation.
10. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.7 Guide Requirements 6.2.7.2 County River Safety and Etiquette Standards
Staff recommends this section be revised to state that outfitters will be required to sign a statement verifying that their guides will comply with County River Safety and Etiquette Standards and will submit the statement with their annual permit application.
11. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.10 Violations, Penalties, and Appeals 6.2.10.3 Penalty Schedule 6.2.10.3.2 outfitter violations
Staff recommends that we revise four violations to three violations as the number of violations required in any one category to result in a recommendation of suspension of the River Use Permit for up to 10 consecutive days.
12. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.10 Violations, Penalties, and Appeals 6.2.10.4 Class I Violation Appeal Procedures
Staff recommends changing Parks and Trails Hearing Officer in this section to Parks Manager. This has been the County’s practice in the past for who an outfitter would submit an appeal of a violation to, this proposed change would just be updating the RMP to reflect that practice.
13. Chapter III, River Management Plan Elements, Element 6, Permits and Requirements, 6.2 Outfitter Requirements: 6.2.10 Violations, Penalties, and Appeals 6.2.10.5 Class II Violation Appeal Procedures
Staff recommends changing Parks and Trails Hearing Officer in this section to Parks Manager. This has been the Counties practice in the past for who an outfitter would submit an appeal of a violation to, this proposed change would just be updating the RMP to reflect that practice.
14. Appendix C, RMP Data and Standards
Pursuant to discussions with the outfitters, staff recommends that updated costs for River Use Application Fees, and the penalty and violation schedules be proposed in the RMP update.
15. Ordinance Chapter 5.48. Streams and Rivers Commercial Boating
Staff recommends changing the river use permits issuance procedure to be conducted by the Parks and Trails Division instead of the Planning Commission.
Staff recommends updating the river use permit term from a three-year term to a one-year term.
Staff recommends updating the staff position from County Hearing Officer to the Parks Manager as the staff position that can revoke a river use permit.
CONTACT
Jennifer Franich, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Zachary Perras, Parks Manager