Title
Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division, recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign a Joint Powers Agreement with California State Parks for Whitewater Concessionaire Contracts on the South Fork of the American River.
FUNDING: State Park User Fees.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In 1981, the County began active management of commercial outfitters on the South Fork of the American River. El Dorado County implements the River Management Plan (RMP) and issues Commercial Whitewater Rafting permits in order to regulate overall numbers and concentration of commercial use, time-of-day restrictions, pollution and sanitation control. Lands managed under jurisdiction of the County comprise unincorporated land either owned by the County (such as parks) or held privately (privately owned lands contain commercial, residential, and undeveloped parcels).
Other governmental agencies with jurisdiction in the South Fork corridor include the Bureau of Land Management and the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation (California State Parks). California State Parks manages Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park and the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. State Parks issues permits to commercial outfitters for put-in and take-out at State Parks properties.
The County maintains the lead role in managing whitewater recreation activities on lands adjacent to the river. County staff currently administers user reporting for Commercial Outfitters. Outfitters complete the form, calculate the amount owed to each agency, and then must remit funds to each agency separately. Each Agency reviews these reports.
State Parks recently evaluated their process for concessionaire permits, and approached the Parks Division with the idea of consolidating services to coordinate the management of commercial outfitters’ river access and activities. As detailed in the Joint Powers Agreement, the County will continue to administer outfitter count reports, bu...
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