The Cottonwood Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management recently released their new Draft Resource Management Plan and the Environmental Impact Statement that backs it up.  The new plan proposes to recommend several whitewater rivers as suitable for Wild and Scenic designation, to protect stream corridors from logging, and to focus on restoration of many rivers and streams. 

This plan is still in draft form, so comments are needed in support of the pro-river elements of the plan in order to protect these elements.  Comments will be accepted through 11/27/06.

American Whitewater is filing organizational comments that:

• Support the BLM findings that Lolo Creek, Hard Creek, Hazard Creek, and Lake Creek are suitable for Wild and Scenic designation
• Request additional riparian buffers of at least 150 feet on both sides of all streams, including intermittent streams. 
• Support the designation of specific watersheds as conservation and restoration watersheds, in which all activities will be consistent with those objectives. 

We encourage paddlers who enjoy the rivers of the Cottonwood Field Office (including the Lower Salmon, Main Clearwater, Lolo Creek, Little Salmon, Potlatch, and others) to send the BLM an email or letter asking for similar protections.  It is specifically important for paddlers to support the findings of Wild and Scenic suitability. 

Email comments to:  comments@cottonwoodrmp.com
or mail comments to:

BLM Cottonwood Field Office
ATTN: Draft RMP/EIS
1 Butte Drive
Cottonwood , ID 83522

The Resource Management Plan can be read at:  http://www.blm.gov/rmp/id/cottonwood/general/draft.htm

The Executive Summary can be read at: http://www.blm.gov/rmp/id/cottonwood/documents/PDF%20Draft%20files/Volume-I/SeparateChapters/CW_Exec-Sum_DRMP_May2006.pdf

The Wild and Scenic River Analysis can be read at:  http://www.blm.gov/rmp/id/cottonwood/documents/PDF%20Draft%20files/Volume-III/SeparateAppendices/Cottonwood_DRMP_Appendix_K.pdf

Learn about Lolo Creek at:  http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/572/

Learn about the Salmon at:  http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/614/