63 

 My perceptions of the Green River and its Uses 



I believe the Green River to be one of the most beautiful places on eardt The crystal clear water, spectacular 

 canyons and the incredible trout fishery, combine to form a unique and unmatched experience for any visitor. Every 

 visitor, regardless of their background, is touched by the splendor and majesty of the Flaming Gorge and the Green 

 Rrver. The U.S. Forest Service Study of 1991 , showed 1 14,00 visitors to the Green River alone and 92% of those said 

 that the Green River was the primary reason for their visit 



There have been impressive improvements to the facilities around and along the Green River. The paving of 

 the Little Hole Road and development and paving of parking areas at Little Hole have been obvious improvements. 

 Great improvements have been made to the 1 1 mile trail along the bank of the river and the campgrounds below the 

 Little Hole area have been vastly improved with the addition of picnic tables and fire rings to each. Concrete runway 

 slabs of cement have been placed as boat launching ramps to make launching and retrieving of all types of boats safer 

 and easier. Composting toilets and flush-type toilets have been installed. Many other improvements have been made to 

 make the experiences of visitors more enjoyable. 



I believe that the majority of people come to the Green River to participate in activities in the first section of 

 the river, the A Section. The 1991 study showed this to be the case, 90% of fishers and 86% of non-fishers used the A 

 Section, and I beUeve that this trend still continues with close to diese same percentages tod^. Because so much of 

 the use is concentrated in this section, I was amazed when the study reported on page 189, that 97% of the visitors 

 were satisfied with their experience on the Green River 



The cortunercial guiding operations, although only S-7% of the total use on the river , are a srttall but very 

 noticeable part of tfie use of the Green River As a group, they are the most successfiil fishers, are the safest user group 

 on the river by virtue of their experience, and are the only user group required to have first aid training. They are 

 required to cany upgraded flotation devices and first aid and rescue equipment that are not required of the general 

 public. They have been responsible for many rescues and assists to other users on the river and have a far greater 

 impact, for good, on the nver that their numbers would indicate. 



Commercial users of the Green River have been a great boost to the local economy. A study done in Montana 

 showed that every dollar spent locally for recreation passed through the local economy nine times before it let) the 

 area. The commercial outfitting operations on the Green River generated just over $1,000,000 m guide fees alone. 

 This figure does not iiKlude amounts spent locally and elsewhere for food, lodging, licenses, equipment sales and 

 remals, and travel expenses for car rentals and airlines. I think that the commercial interests on the Green River are 

 very important financially both locally and statewide. 



