The long anticipated draft version of the LORP Recreation Use Plan is now available on the Lower Owens River website (lowerowensriver.org). The plan will be presented to the public by recreation design firm MIG, on Friday, February 24.

The plan was designed to balance the needs to protect the recovering ecosystem, respect traditional values and uses, provide attractive recreational opportunities, not interfere with LADWP’s operations, and to be consistent with LORP goals. The draft is the product of broad research, agency consultations, and extensive public outreach including workshops and presentations, stakeholder interviews and surveys.

The document presents a framework on which to structure final on-the-ground design and features. The plan describes three alternative levels of use to be considered: Option 1 proposes the lowest level of recreation, concentrating use at a few key points along the river; Option 2 adds several areas for recreation and upgrades the types of facilities; Option 3 provides a higher level of service in the number, location and types of facilities.

You can find the plan in the LORP section of the Inyo County Water Department website www.inyowater.org or at www.lowerowensriver.org.

The plan will be presented at two public meetings.  The location of the February 24^th  Inyo/LA Standing Committee meeting has been changed from Bishop to the Inyo County Administrative Center in Independence (224 North Edwards Street). The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 am. A presentation of the LORP Recreation Use Plan is item #7 on the Standing Committee agenda.

The location and time of the Lone Pine presentation remains the same: Friday evening, February 24th at 6 pm in the Clubhouse at the Boulder Creek RV Resort (just south of Lone Pine).

 For more information about the plan or about these events, please contact Larry Freilich, Inyo County Water Department, Mitigation Manager (760) 878-0011.