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boating, was not a major player in the growing use impact picture at that 

 juncture. Once the moratorium was imposed, the permitted businesses instantly 

 acquired a value they did not previously have. The host outfitter who promoted 

 the moratorium so successfully later sold his two Hells Canyon businesses. 



As a result of the float trip and other complaints from floaters about 

 crowding at the launch facility and up-river campsites, the Supervisors also 

 initiated work on a management plan focused on floating, the element of river 

 use threatening to get completely out of hand. The first plan was completed in 

 1975, adopting the moratorium and setting a target of 16 float businesses with 

 one laimch every 8 days. Most floats at that time were 6 days in length, going 

 to the Grande Ronde takeout. A limit of 5 launches from points between Hells 

 Canyon Dam and Rush Creek would be allowed each day during a control 

 season, 3 private and 2 commercial. Initially, because the actual number of 

 outfitters was more than 16, the division of launches was more than two for the 

 commercial sector for some days. Attrition, however, soon brought the number 

 down to 16. This worked out to a 50/50 allocation between commercial and 

 private in terms of numbers of people because of the larger commercial party 

 size. The limit of 5 launches per day was based on the availability of campsites 

 in the first two days of the average trip and the capacity of the launch ramp at 

 Hells Canyon Creek. These limitations are still valid and were not even 

 questioned during the recent management plan review. No limit was placed on 

 floating below Rush Creek then and none exists today. 



• The interim plan 



In December, 1975 the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area was 

 designated. The legislation called for completion of a Comprehensive 

 Management Plan (CMP) by December 1980. A planning team was assembled 

 and began its task in 1976. An interim management plan was approved for the 

 river, adopting, in large, the 1975 plan. Commercial power boat business were 

 to be placed under special use permit and a first come first served system was 

 adopted for issuing private float permits and reservations. 



• The Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) 



When the CMP was near completion it underwent internal review by the 

 Chiefs office in Washington. A memorandum was sent by Acting Deputy Chief 

 R. M. Housley to the Regional Forester on July 10, 1980 directing changes in 

 the plan. Housley wanted further justification for the continued use of power 

 boats on the Wild portion of the Snake River. "The proposed level of use is so 

 low it appears that now may be a good time to eliminate all power boat use. If 

 use becomes established under this plan it will be extremely difficult to 

 eliminate it in the future." This memorandum communicated direction to 

 eliminate power boat from the Wild Snake River, if not now, then later. This 

 came in spite of a stated willingness by the planning team to listen to all users 



