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in Whitewater difficulty (Class IV at high water),"" which means they are paddled 

 by intermediate, advanced and expert boaters. 



Both the Snake and Salmon offer western style big water runs which contain 

 large roller-coaster type waves. The Snake below Hells Canyon Dam has twice 

 the average flow of the Salmon and considerably more than the Colorado in 

 Grand Canyon."^ Whitewater boaters moving downstream cannot see or hear 

 motorized craft coming up river, sometimes in excess of 60 miles per hour. For 

 human-powered craft this is akin to a head-on collision between a car and a 

 bicycle at Beltway speeds. 



This presents an even larger problem on rivers where many paddlers are 

 intermediates who may not possess the quickness or technique needed to avoid 

 such a collision. One of the greatest pleasures of boating big water (for all skill 

 levels), is the ability to surf these waves. In this situation, a paddler would be 

 facing back upstream - motorized craft are upon them before they know they are 

 there. 



3. Favoring Motorized over Nonmotorized Recreation 



Whitewater boaters do not appreciate attempts to be regulated off of rivers, or 

 denied access to individual river segments. Unfortunately, this seems to be 

 becoming more and more a common occurrence. From that experience, 

 paddlers understand that other river users also do not want to be locked off of 

 rivers - and we are not recommending that this be done on the Snake. 



However, H.R. 2568 would: cut the Forest Service's ability to control the highest 

 impact recreational use on the Snake - jet-boating; would lock in today's 

 growing motorized use levels; and attempt to balance this against nonmotorized 

 use levels and regulations which were established over 1 5 years ago. 



Since 1978, canoes, kayaks and rafts have needed a permit to paddle the Snake 

 between Hells Canyon Dam and White Creek (mile 16) from the Friday before 

 Memorial Day to September 1 5. To get a permit, they must enter a four-rivers 

 lottery (which includes the Main and Middle Salmon, and the Selway). No 

 control over the use and number of motorized rivercraft has ever been 

 implemented. 



This proposed legislation states that "use of commercial and private motorized 

 and nonmotorized river craft shall be allowed to continue throughout each year 

 at levels that are not less than those occurring in an average of the 3 calender 

 years preceding the date of enactment of this subsection .. ." (emphasis added) 



