Bighorn River Blueway Trail Meeting: Safety around diversion dams top concern

WORLAND — About 25 people attended the Bighorn River Blueway Trail meeting in Worland at the Washakie County Library and one of the main concerns noted was safety, especially around diversion dams.

Facilitated by Wyoming Outdoor Recreation (WOR), the Bighorn Basin Outdoor Recreation Collaborative (BBORC) was the first of seven outdoor recreation initiatives to be convened around the state by Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails. These initiatives bring together local community members, recreation stakeholders, businesses, conservation groups, federal and state agencies, and elected officials to identify and prioritize opportunities for the growth and enhancement of outdoor recreation.

The Bighorn River Blueway Trail Committee is a subcommittee of the Bighorn Basin Outdoor Recreation Collaborative. Other agencies involved, along with WOR, BBORC include the Washakie County Conservation District, Basin Area Chamber of Commerce, Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, the National Park Service through the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program and the Bureau of Land Management Worland Field Office. The Washakie County Commissioners are also supporters of the project.

According to a release from Wyoming Outdoor Recreation (WOR), “the Bighorn River Blueway Trail will start at the Wedding of the Waters south of Thermopolis and end at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Lovell, covering a 95-mile stretch of the Bighorn River.

“This trail will offer recreationalists a wide variety of outdoor opportunities including wildlife watching, ever changing scenery, fishing, picnicking, boating, paddling, and camping, and it will contribute to the health of the Big Horn Basin’s travel and outdoor recreation industries.”

According to the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, a blueway, or water trail, “is a stretch of river, a shoreline, or an ocean that has been mapped out with the intent to create an educational, scenic, and challenging experience for recreational canoers and kayakers. The trails are organized by local volunteers with the help of public officials and private landowners, all of whom promote its proper use and maintenance.”

Blueway trails have tremendous benefits for local communities. Not only do they connect towns with their rivers and surrounding lands, but they also enhance the local quality of life through positive impacts to health, the economy and the environment, according to WOR.

The creation of this trail has the potential to bring significant recreation economic growth to the communities along the Bighorn River including Thermopolis, Worland, Manderson, Greybull, Basin and Lovell.

There are four phases planned for the trailway project, Washakie County Conservation District Executive Director Amanda O’Keefe said and with the initial support of the Washakie County Commissioners the phase of Worland to Greybull was moved to the first phase at this time.

The second phase would be Greybull to the Bighorn Canyon, third Thermopolis to Gooseberry Creek and fourth Gooseberry Creek to Worland.

Along the 95 miles from Wedding of the Waters to the North Kane Boat Ramp in the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area there are 16 access points with some new points planned including in Washakie County.

Christy Fleming of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area said, “You all know the river exists. You already can float the river.”

The hope of the committee, she said, is to map access points, danger spots, provide information on how to avoid diversion dams and provide a safer way to travel.

“This just the very beginning of the process,” Fleming said.

She said the map and information for the blueway trail would only include public access points and public services.

“If there are private access points they will not be on the trail map,” she said.

Fleming addressed a misconception that is circulating. She said the committee is not trying to close the river to motorized craft. She said small power boats would still be allowed where the river is deep enough.

There are currently 16 access points maintained by National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Game and Fish.

SAFETY

During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting safety concerns were the biggest issue especially around the diversion dams.

Fleming said Attila Bality, outdoor recreation planner for the National Park Service-RTCA has been looking at designs in New Mexico that allow a boat to “slide” over the diversion dams and that do not create a “washing machine effect.”

Daleen Anderson of the Bureau of Land Management said it will be a big project to develop something around the diversion dams with the irrigation canal companies needing to be involved.

“Right now we are telling people to get out and go around,” Fleming said.

It was noted that there are large signs before the diversion dam near Winchester letting boaters know of the dam and dangers ahead.

Fleming, in answering a question, said that search and rescue departments all along the river have expressed concern.

Washakie County Search and Rescue Commander Dave Michel said, “When I first heard about this it scared the hell out of me because there would be more people on the river. We don’t practice around diversions just because they are so dangerous. We try to keep our people out of harm’s ways.”

He added, “As far as rescue, we know if this goes forward there is going to be more activity on the river and we are trying to come up with plans to be able to rescue people. If they are caught in a diversion more than likely it will be a recovery.”

Michel noted that there are other dangers in the river besides the diversions such as people getting stranded on some of the islands.

“To be very honest if someone gets caught out by Winchester dam it is probably going to be an hour [to respond]. We are all volunteers.” He said it takes time for the volunteers to get to the search and rescue building, get the gear ready and to get out to the location.

“I think it’s great promotion to get more people out to recreate. The biggest thing is education. People know what a diversion is but they don’t the dangers. If you are in the water you won’t see it,” Michel said.

Fleming said letting river users know about the dangers associated with diversion dams is going to be part of the education for the blueway trail committee.

It was noted that they are looking at creating an app that would provide up-to-date information on water levels.

The committee has discussed signage at access points about dangers and possible mile markers along the river, Anderson said.

Michel noted that WCS&R does not have an access point map either. This summer he will be asking private owners about emergency access to the river.

Fleming said the committee plans on hosting a meeting inviting search and rescue and other emergency responders to discuss the blueway trail plans.

NATIONAL WATER TRAIL SYSTEM

Fleming said the Bighorn River Blueway Trail could become part of the National Water Trail System. There are requirements including the trail has to be open to everybody, has to be in place for at least 10 years and the trail designation has to be supported by the landowners.

There are six elements for a trail in the National Water Trail System.

Recreation – There must be public access points and different things to see along the way.

Education — Fleming said she knows a lot of local schools use the river for a variety of education projects including studying the water and bugs and some do float trips.

Conservation — There are lots of conservation projects available along this trail she said, noting there is a lot of Russian olive and tamarisk along the river. The Wyoming Game and Fish is also looking for the softshell spiny turtle along the Big Horn River. There are birding opportunities

Local communities can help by adopting a section of the river to clean up the tamarisk or provide a spot for the turtles.

Public Information — Fleming said this is one of the biggest issues for the committee “to make sure people know about the diversion dams, that they are really dangerous and you want to skip that part” and to know that when the river is high or flushing you should not float the river. Part of the public information would be where the public access points are to avoid trespassing on private land.

“Wyoming river law you can float down the river through private property but can’t get out unless it’s an incidental thing,” Fleming said.

Trail maintenance — Fleming said this will take community support to help provide signs and information.

NEXT STEP

Fleming said this week that the committee will be having a meeting soon with a date and location still to be determined. They will review the comments and come up with next steps.  One of those steps will be hosting the emergency responders meeting, hopefully before the summer season starts, she said. 

The committee will also be monitoring public comment boards that have been set up in each community.  

During the meeting Fleming said there is a lot of preliminary work still to be completed including:

•Contacting primary users of the river to find out why they use the river, their favorite things about the river and favorite access points and why. She noted that the Basin river launch area is great but the river goes by really fast there so something needs to be made so it is easier to get in or out.

•Establishing river mileage and putting it in context, Fleming said, noting 20 miles is not as effective as saying nine hours.

•Mapping and identifying key points and hazards. She said that also includes identifying gaps where facilities are needed. For example, she said from Greybull to Lovell it would be nice if there was one place you could get out and maybe camp.

•Identifying if there needs to be memorandum of understanding agreements with the communities.

Fleming said the blueway trail committee would eventually like to see each community form a community work group.