Yosemite National Park High-Elevation Aquatic Resources Management Plan

Announcing scoping period for the Yosemite National Park High-Elevation Aquatic Resources Management Plan

Yosemite National Park is preparing a High-Elevation Aquatic Resources Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) to guide management actions by the National Park Service to protect Yosemite’s diverse high-elevation aquatic ecosystems and to restore natural composition, structure and function to systems that have been disturbed by past or ongoing human activities.

The plan will include the lakes, ponds, wet meadows and streams located in the high country above Yosemite Valley and the diverse plants and animals that inhabit these environments. The EA will consider:

• Removal of non-native fish from selected areas of the park to restore natural biodiversity in critical basins. Chemical removal of non-native fish is not currently being considered in this plan.

• High-quality recreational fishing opportunities would continue to be available in diverse habitats throughout the park.

• Restoration of Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs, Yosemite toads, and other species to suitable locations within their historic range that are strategically important to survival of these species.

• The development of Best Management Practices for recreational and administrative activities within high-elevation aquatic ecosystems to ensure that park resources and values remain unimpaired. This includes:

• preventative measures to avoid the introduction or spread of non-native species or pathogens that may threaten native species or their habitats.

• evaluation of human use within aquatic environments in order to ensure that human use does not result in loss of ecological function (e.g., campsites, pack stock use, trails).

The National Park Service is requesting public input on the scope of the Aquatic Plan EA from June 23, 2008 through July 25, 2008. Two public meetings are currently scheduled. An Open House will take place on June 25, 2008 in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium from 1:00-5:00 pm and a public meeting will be held on July 12, 2008 at Parson’s Lodge in Tuolumne Meadows from 1:00-4:00pm.

Written scoping comments should be postmarked no later than July 25, 2008. A draft document is expected to be available for public review in summer 2009. To request a hard copy or CD ROM version of the EA and to submit written comments, contact the National Park Service in person or by any of the means listed below:

Mail:

Superintendent
Attn: High-Elevation Aquatic Resources Management Plan
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389

Phone: 209 379-1365; Fax: 209 379-1294

E-mail: Yose_Planning@nps.gov

PEPC: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/

Visit online: <http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/aquatic.htm

I heard a presentation about this a year or so ago at the lodge. It made me think about how many stupid things we've done that may have seemed smart at the time. People like catching fish, so we stock the lakes with trout. Except it affects the whole balance, and down the road it turns out we shot ourselves in the foot.

I mean, when they can get away with building a dam that floods a whole pristine valley in a national park, just because it's quicker and cheaper than doing it right, I guess dumping a few trout in a few lakes seems insignificant, and undoubtedly they never gave it a second thought. But given time, those little things can cause big problems.

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo