River Recreation Management Plan

Purpose:

To address the rise in social conflicts associated with river use.

Process:

Follow a consensus format involving diverse stakeholder interests. Sponsor credible research on river use levels, social values, economic issues and river user demographics.

Product:

The development of a recreation management plan and / or recommendations for future management.

Update:

1999 marked the beginning of the recreation planning effort.  The BHRF in collaboration with the Big Hole Watershed Committee and local conservation organizations lobbied for a locally driven, progressive recreation management plan.  The need for an up-to-date management plan grew out of concerns that the river was on its way to being over used and over crowded, with potential resource damage and loss of quality of experience on the horizon.

Governor Racicot directed the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks to initiate a consensus driven process to develop management recommendations (a similar process was established for the Beaverhead River.)  A multi stakeholder committee worked for a year to develop management recommendations  The FWP commission adopted an interim management plan after much public comment.  The Big Hole plan that was ultimately adopted through a biennial rule was largely supported, but not by all interests.

The Big Hole Recreation Management Plan was enacted for 2000-2002.  Additional user surveys were conducted during this time to assess the impact of the management plan in reducing crowding and user support of the plan.  The plan can be located at MT FWP http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/proposedbiennialrule.asp

In 2003, the BHRF continued to participate in an effort to renew the Recreation Management Plan.  The FWP commission will be making a decision regarding the continuation of the Big Hole Plan.

A statewide committee developed recommendations based on the Big Hole River recreation management plan that would provide a process for future development of these kinds of plans to all waters in the state.  One motivation of this completed work was to create consistency between the plans and provide general guidelines for their development.  The new Big Hole River Recreation Plan used this approved process and the new plan will soon be adopted by MTFWP.  The new plan is only slightly different then the original.