Hello fellow members – here’s an update on GCPBA activities: November 4, 2022
The Board met in Flagstaff during the latter part of September. Discussions were held with the following: Moenkopi, Ceiba, Canyon Reo; Amanda Podmore with GC Trust; Ed Keable, GC Superintendent; Steve Sullivan from the GC Permits Office; John Dillon from GC River Outfitters Association and Larry Weiland with the GC Pano project. Angela Boyer, who is the GC Chief Ranger, was unable to attend, and time did not afford meeting with PRO as well as Lynn Hamilton from GC River Guides.
Board Members
To spread the knowledge and expertise of running the organization, the Board shifted the membership and treasurer responsibilities to the two new members. Since many members travel extensively and/or are on the river, this shift will afford coverage of these duties by more than just one Board member.
Board member roles for 2022 – 2023 are as follows:
John Vrymoed, President (2nd yr)
Rich Turner, Vice President (2nd yr)
Blakely LaCroix, Secretary (continuing)
Howard Robinson, Treasurer (1st yr)
Samantha Rist, Membership (1st yr)
David Levine, Store Keeper (continuing)
Helen Howard, Member at Large (continuing)
Questions/Discussion with Ed Keable – GC Park Superintendent
GCPBA asked the Park to discontinue relaying the Havasupai Nation’s request that boaters forego stopping at Havasu. The Park agrees with GCPBA that the risk of Covid transmission is near zero. Still, to maintain good relations, the Park will continue to relay the Havasupai’s request at the orientation meeting. Understand that you can stop there – you just cannot go beyond Beaver Falls without a permit from the Havasupai. Know that the reservation’s closure remains in effect.
River patrols are back on the water as qualified boatpersons have been hired by the Park. To date, no citations have been issued. Interaction with private boaters has been to provide information, answer questions, counsel on preserving the health of the river corridor and promote a safe trip.
The Board had asked the Park to conduct a survey of private boaters re their experience, focusing on their ability to find the camps of their choice, crowding at popular sites, etc. As you recall, we similarly surveyed you the membership and shared those results with the Park. Any survey would have to be broken down by season. Ed Keable stated that a survey of boaters re their trip experience is a worthwhile exercise. As such, a budget amount has been submitted for approval by Park HQ. If approved, it may be 2 years down the road.
The purpose of these surveys is to assess whether or not the Colorado River Management Plan’s (CRMP) usage and allocation are appropriate. The CRMP has now been in effect for 16 years and it is fitting to get feedback re people’s experience. Do we ask for more trips? Given the mix of results, the Board opted to retain the status quo and review a study done on winter trips for further evaluation in answering that question.
Dams on the Little Colorado River (LCR)
The Board has provided analysis and viability of this proposal in a prior newsletter. Since that time, the project proponent, Pumped Hydro Storage, LLC has revamped the scheme and filed an application for a preliminary permit with FERC. The proposal, referred to as Big Canyon, is still a pumped storage system. The difference is that instead of capturing surface water, ground water will be pumped to fill the reservoirs. The project details were discussed with Amanda Podmore from GC Trust. If you would like a copy of the FERC application, let us know via GCPBAmail@gmail.com and will send you a pdf. What is noteworthy is that the estimate for site exploration is between $10 – $20 million, with “no source of funding identified”
Conditions at The Launch Ramp
Feedback was obtained from the private outfitters. They commented that conditions have improved now that a permanent ranger has been assigned,. The current ranger is accommodating, which is helpful in getting parties checked in and off the ramp. One request was for GCPBA to see about changing the wording in the regulations re unloading at the ramp. The complaint is that the current wording is too restrictive. We spoke with the Permits office and they agreed to bring this issue up for discussion with Law Enforcement. The Board will follow up with the Park in the coming months. The following wording was suggested:
Launch Ramp Procedures
A. Check in, Orientation, and Checkout
Check In – Provided the ramp is clear, only the party launching the next day is permitted to unload. The party is to contact the ranger if the ramp is not clear as well as to arrange for inspection of required gear. If a ranger is not present, check the bulletin board for instructions and/or the cell phone number for contacting the ranger on duty.
Potential Alternate Trip Leader – PATL
At the Park’s request, the Board has evaluated the Park’s proposal to allow an applicant to submit a lottery application and be an alternate trip leader on another application. The minimum points criteria would still apply. Per the Permits office, only 18% of the applications list an alternate. Meaning that 82% would rather maximize their odds as opposed to buying insurance by listing a PATL. The Park sees the minimal usage of a PATL as a problem, hence the proposal.
The Board has plowed this ground before. Given a change in the Board’s makeup, it seemed appropriate to review this topic again. Although the board identified a number of negatives, we agreed to support the Park’s proposal, with the recommendation for a reevaluation in 3 years, in case the negatives prove speculative and do not materialize. We’re in communication with the Permits office to see when this change will become effective. The Board anticipates the number of applications will significantly increase, but applicants’ odds will remain approximately the same.
Navajo Nation Docks
For those new to this topic: the Navajo Nation was granted a Letter of Permission (LOP) by the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to build docks just downstream from Lee’s Ferry. The rationale provided by the Navajo was to conduct river patrols because boaters have trespassed, defaced sacred sites, etc. When asked, the Park said they were not aware of incidents of this type of negative boater behavior. The permit originally required the project to be completed by Oct 1, 2022. GCPBA requested documents thru the Freedom of Information Act and found that the Navajo Nation had received an extension of the LOP to Oct 1, 2024. We were dismayed, to say the least.
GCPBA’s May, 2021 letter to the Corps asking to rescind the permit was never answered. We recently prevailed upon Congresswoman Doris Matsui’s office to get a response. A response from the Corps was received a few weeks ago. It consisted mostly of a recitation of the boundary dispute, and failed to address GCPBA’s main point that the LOP was issued with no public notice and no public input, using a process reserved for projects where there is no public objection. GCPBA’s letter pointed out that twenty-six thousand people take the trip of a lifetime thru one of the seven wonders of the world every year, and many of them would certainly object to this type of new development within the canyon.
Let us know if you would like a copy of the letter. Here is the closing paragraph:
The Los Angeles District declines to reevaluate the circumstances if the LOP and initiate action to modify, suspend, or revoke the LOP in accordance with 33 CFR 325.7
Thank you for your letter.
Sincerely,
Signed Julie A. Balten
Colonel, US Army
Commanding
Other items
The Bureau of Reclamation has announced that they may take unilateral action by cutting water deliveries in order to keep Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoir levels above dead pool. This will mean reduced releases from both Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams. The Bureau will have a comment period in December. Look for a draft of the operational changes in the spring of 2023, with a decision to go into effect in the fall of 2023. For more details, you can read the CNN news article here. As you know, the October flows have fluctuated between 6000 and 9000 cfs. Similar flows have been announced for November. At flows below 5000 cfs, motorized rigs will not be able to operate, which will have serious consequences for some of the commercial outfitters. GCPBA is on the list of parties notified of meetings and findings of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Working Group (AMWG) and the Technical Working Group (TWG) where the impact of reduced flows on the health of the river corridor are deliberated. We want to make sure that the recreational boater is considered along with the humpback chub.
The Sept 10, 2022 accident at Bedrock was discussed with John Dillon (GCROA). A motorized J-rig was unable to safely make the right turn and flipped over resulting in one fatality and injuring several passengers. It was traumatic for all involved, with a lack of information lasting a number of days. After some time, passengers were air lifted out without any of their belongings as their dry bags/personal gear were underneath the overturned J-rig. These accidents severely effect family members/friends/colleagues of those involved and are intensely private. Therefore, GCPBA has limited any discussion on its Facebook page to solely the Park’s news release.
Spread the word to not use native lands for geo-caching. 50-cal ammo cans have been found in the pursuit of this hobby. Don’t give the Hualapai and Navajo any reason to complain about private boaters – such as: a private boater leaving his party and hiking out at Havasu and knocking on doors in Supai Village. This individual left the trip due to a physical altercation with his fellow trip participants.
GCPBA bylaws will be revised in the coming months to set forth a better process for the election of officers and inviting members to visit with the Board.
Larry Weiland accepted our invitation to make a presentation of his work to digitally record the river corridor and side hikes in panorama. He regularly posts on GCPBA’s Facebook page. If not familiar with his work, you can visit his site here. In the coming months, we hope to confer with Larry to link his work with GCPBA’s development of Steps, a DIY mapping/camp site location along the river corridor. You can check it out here.
As usual, the Board solicits new members to join us. For those not interested in joining, but willing to lend expertise in varying areas, please let us know. And let us know via gcpbamail@gmail.com of problems, trip reports, conditions at the ramp, etc.
That’s it for now. Wishing all of you a good holiday season in the months to come,
John Vrymoed, President
Grand Canyon Private Boaters’ Association