The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office (RFO) has released the environmental assessment (EA) for the North Platte River Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP), which includes additions planned for the Corral Creek and Bennett Peak Campgrounds.
According to the BLM, there was found to be no significant impact and decision record (DR), which authorize campground and river access improvements and adjust the number of Special Recreation Permits (SRPs) issued. Under the selected alternative, horse corrals will be developed and limited river access will be provided at the Corral Creek Campground; additional parking and a boat ramp expansion will be added at the Bennett Peak Campground; and the access road at the Prospect Undeveloped Recreation Site will be improved and maintained for safety purposes.
In addition, the DR allows up to three new SRPs for consideration every other year until reaching Middle Country limits.
BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Chris Jones said the planned work for the Bennett Peak Campground, which included parking and boat ramp expansion, had already begun Sept. 23. He said he was also pleased with the positive feedback received on the projects.
“We’ve had a a lot of overall good, strong support in our comments,” Jones said. “We’ve had support from Game and Fish, and the Forest Service was also affirmative on our preferred alternatives. Trout Unlimited also expressed high approval for what was preferred.”
At the Corral Creek Campground, volunteers also helped construct tent pads, repair picnic tables, fix fire rings, install water filters, paint restrooms, pull weeds and pick up litter last Saturday, as part of “National Public Lands Day.”
The RFO manages more than 122 miles of the North Platte River from the Colorado border to the Seminoe Reservoir, including numerous public access points for recreation. The river provides crucial winter range for elk and is a magnet for wildlife such as bighorn sheep, bobcat, black bear, mountain lion, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, muskrat, coyote, raccoon, beaver, Greater Sage-grouse, Canadian goose, mallard, great blue heron, kingfisher, pelican, golden and bald eagle, red-tailed and ferruginous hawk, and prairie falcon.
The North Platte River is also classified as a blue-ribbon trout fishery with a section managed for wild trout.
The draft North Platte River RAMP and EA underwent extensive public comment and was available for review March through April, and again in August through September of 2013. All comments concerning potential impacts were addressed in the EA, and the DR is subject to administrative review through the appeal process.
For more information, please contact Chris Jones at 307-328-4206.
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