Laserfiche WebLink
<br />2 <br /> <br />The existing inventory of 43 sites includes 7 owned by local <br />jurisdictions (Kittitas County, Cle Elum, and Ellensburg), 14 by state <br />agencies (Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission – P&RC, <br />Fish & Wildlife - WDFW, and Transportation WDOT), 13 by federal <br />agencies (US Forest Service - USFS, Bonneville Power Administration <br />- BPA, and Bureau of Land Management - BLM), 1 by Kittitas <br />Reclamation District - KRD, 2 by Suncadia, and 6 by other private <br />parties. <br /> <br />The proposed inventory of 5 sites includes 2 by local agencies <br />(Kittitas County and Ellensburg), 1 by Suncadia, and 2 to be <br />acquired from private landowners. <br /> <br />River hazards include permanent restrictions such as dams or fixed <br />structures, launching impediments, and landslide zones. Natural <br />and sometimes relatively permanent hazards include reservoir <br />water releases, shallow water with overhanging trees, rapids or <br />swift water stretches, logjams, and sweepers, among others. <br /> <br />There are numerous permanent and natural hazardous restrictions <br />that require different skill levels and watercraft and determine <br />which river segments are safely usable for specific watercraft and <br />river uses. <br /> <br />This public access plan includes a series of maps identifying public <br />access sites and the river stretches affected by hazards and safely <br />usable for emergency response launches, shoreline fishing and <br />wading, fishing tube floating, kayaking, and canoeing, recreational <br />floating, river guided rafting, fishing rafting and drift boating, and <br />jet boating as well as wildlife trails, trail connections, day-use and <br />picnicking, camping, hunting, and sightseeing. <br /> <br />Chapter 6: Existing and proposed public access sites <br />The proposals in this public access plan are based on the results of <br />initial Google map and aerial inventory, Washington <br />Hometown/Manastash Maps interactive maps, aerials, and property <br />maps, field verification, workshops with user and interest groups <br />and state and federal agencies, and finally by site verification with <br />the knowledgeable members of the Yakima River Access Citizens <br />Advisory and Public Lands Advisory Committees. <br /> <br />The proposals are CONCEPTUAL, in some instances, subject to <br />further study and coordination with public and private participants <br />that may modify the eventual project particulars. <br /> <br />Chapter 7: Illustrative development concepts <br />There are key existing public sites that need to be improved and <br />new public access sites that should be acquired and developed to <br />resolve river safety issues, fill gaps in access, and increase multi- <br />use opportunities. <br /> <br />Illustrative development concepts were created for these 10 key <br />public access sites to determine if and how they could be improved <br />to meet the goals listed above. The concepts were based on <br />workshops with user and interest groups and state and federal <br />agencies, and finally by site verification with the knowledgeable <br />members of the Yakima River Access Citizens Advisory and Public <br />Lands Advisory Committees. <br /> <br />The proposals are CONCEPTUAL, in some instances, subject to <br />further study and coordination with public and private participants <br />that may modify the eventual project particulars. <br /> <br />Chapter 8: Implementation program <br />The implementing actions are comprehensive, but not inclusive of <br />all possible options that may implement Yakima River public <br />access potentials or that could be submitted and funded under <br />competitive project applications. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />