Summary Guide 1

National Park Service Yosemite National Park U.S. Department of the Interior

Providing Access and Protecting Resources

Summary Guide

for the

Merced Wild and Scenic River

Draft Comprehensive Management Plan 

and Environmental Impact Statement 

January 2013
2 Summary Guide

Where to Learn More ................................................... 2

Merced River Draft Plan Summary Guide .................... 3

The Merced River Plan .................................................. 3

The Merced Wild and Scenic River ............................... 4

River Values ................................................................... 5

Foundational Elements ................................................. 7

Overview of the Draft Plan and Alternatives .............10

Actions Common to Alternatives 2–6 ..........................11

Overview of the Alternatives .......................................12

Alternative 1: No Action ........12

Alternative 2 ...........................13

Alternative 3: ..........................13

Alternative 4: ..........................13

Alternative 5 (Preferred): ...... 14

Alternative 6: ..........................15

Where to Learn More About the Merced River Plan ...16

How to Comment/Stay Involved...................................18

Alternatives Summary Matrix ................................ Insert

CD with Electronic Draft Plan Files ..... Inside Back Cover

Contents

Where to Learn More

Enclosed CD: Find a CD containing the full draft 

plan on the inside back cover of this document.

Online Resources: Look on Yosemite National 

Park’s website for information regarding the Merced 

Wild and Scenic River Draft Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement at 

www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp-deis.htm. Access documents, graphics, useful web links, the 

schedule of public meetings and webinars, and 

official public comment instructions. Online files 

include an electronic version of the document along 

with related maps, conceptual site drawings, and 

outreach materials, including this summary guide.

Meeting Schedule: As part of its robust outreach 

effort in early 2013, the park will present several 

informational webinars and public meetings. The 

Yosemite Open House includes plan updates and is 

held the last Wednesday of every month. Additional 

public meetings will be held in the park and in various gateway communities. View a schedule of public 

webinar and workshops online.

Public Comment: Additional detail about how to 

submit public comment and where to learn more 

about the plan is included at the end of this guide.

Interactive Map: Access an interactive mapping 

tool that allows you to view components of the draft 

plan alternatives, at http://imgis.nps.gov/yose. 

Stay Involved: Sign up for our park electronic 

newsletter to receive periodic updates about how to 

stay involved in the plan or follow the park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YosemiteNPS. 

Contact Us: You can contact Yosemite National 

Park’s Planning Division to request a document or 

to join the park’s email list by calling 209/379-1365 

or by emailing yose_planning@nps.gov. 

For general inquiries, call 209/379-1110.

COVER: Top Photo by Christine White Loberg

The Merced Wild and Scenic River, shown flowing by the 

iconic El Capitan in Yosemite Valley, meanders 81 miles 

through Yosemite National Park.

All other photos by NPS.

Boating, in the picturesque setting of Yosemite Valley, continues to be a prime recreation opportunity in all the Merced River Draft Plan’s action alternatives.

Hiking on the Mist Trail is one way people 

interact with the Merced River. This trail 

offers views of Vernal and Nevada Falls 

and gives access to Little Yosemite Valley.
Summary Guide 3

Merced Wild and Scenic River Draft Plan Summary Guide

This Summary Guide serves several purposes. 

Because the Merced Wild and Scenic Wild and 

Scenic River Draft Comprehensive Management 

Plan and Environmental Impact Statement runs 

more than 2,500 pages, this guide is intended to 

direct reviewers to key areas of the document 

with information most likely to be of interest to 

the public. This guide also provides a concise 

summary of the planning process and the analytical 

framework for the draft plan and gives insight 

into important considerations for managing a 

Wild and Scenic River within a national park. 

Finally, this guide directs the reviewer to additional 

resources that are available to develop a more 

comprehensive understanding of the draft plan and 

its environmental consequences.

This Summary Guide engages the public in a 

conversation about what it means to “protect and 

enhance” river values under the auspices of the 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) and describes 

the process for accomplishing this mandate. 

To that end, this guide explains how to submit 

formal comment on the draft plan and how to stay 

involved during this phase of the project. Please 

review the draft plan and its range of alternatives 

and send us your written comments during the 

90-day public comment period. Instructions for 

submitting formal comments are detailed on the 

final page of this guide.

In addition to reading this guide, we suggest 

members of the public develop an understanding 

of the proposed actions by beginning with the 

following sections of the full Merced Wild and 

Scenic River Draft Comprehensive Management 

Plan and Environmental Impact Statement:

•	 Document Organization (Chapter 1: page 1–4)

•	 Alternatives (Chapter 8)

•	 Process Used to Develop the Alternatives 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–1 to 8–7)

– Actions Common to Alternatives 2-6 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–53 to 8–102)

– Alternative 1 (No Action) Overview 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–13 to 8–28)

– Alternative 2 Overview 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–103 to 8–118)

– Alternative 3 Overview 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–145 to 8–160) 

– Alternative 4 Overview 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–187 to 8–203) 

– Alternative 5 (Preferred) Overview 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–231 to 8–246) 

– Alternative 6 Overview 

(Chapter 8: pages 8–273 to 8–288) 

Readers who wish to review the draft plan in more 

depth will find more decision-making details here:

•	 Goals of the Merced River Plan 

(Chapter 1: page 1–3)

•	 Identification of Planning Issues: Public and 

Internal Scoping 

(Chapter 2: pages 2–13 to 2–18)

•	 Part III User Capacity Discussion 

(Chapter 6: pages 6–12 to 6–43)

The Merced Wild and Scenic River Draft Plan

Through this Summary Guide, we are pleased to 

highlight elements of the Merced Wild and Scenic 

River Draft Comprehensive Management Plan 

and Environmental Impact 

Statement. The January 2013 

draft plan represents many 

years of scientific study, multiagency and tribal collaboration, 

and the involvement of an 

enthusiastic public. This draft 

plan brings forward the best 

in science, stewardship, and 

public engagement to create a vision for protecting 

the Merced Wild and Scenic River.

The Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive 

Management Plan will be the guiding document 

for protecting and enhancing river values and 

managing use within the Merced River corridor 

in Yosemite National Park for the next 20 years. 

The draft plan includes specific actions to correct 

resource impacts, establishes numerical limits on 

the kinds and amounts of use allowed in the river 

corridor, and features an expanded monitoring 

program to protect and enhance river values and 

visitor experiences over time.

The draft plan addresses all elements required 

by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) for 

the management of a designated river. It analyzes 

these elements by following and documenting 

planning processes required by the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National 

Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and other legal 

mandates governing National Park Service (NPS) 

decision-making.
4 Summary Guide

The Merced Wild and Scenic River

The Merced Wild and Scenic River, designated 

in 1987, includes 122 miles of the Merced River 

on the western side of the Sierra Nevada range 

in California. The NPS manages 81 miles of the 

Merced Wild and Scenic River through Yosemite 

National Park, including the headwaters and both 

the Merced River’s main stem and the South Fork 

Merced River. As the Merced River flows outside 

Yosemite’s western boundary, the U.S. Forest 

Service and the Bureau of Land Management 

manage the next 41 miles of the Merced Wild and 

Scenic River.

The main stem of the Merced River originates 

high in the Sierra Nevada on the eastern side of 

Yosemite in several watersheds: the Lyell Fork, 

Triple Peak Fork, Merced Peak Fork, and Red 

Peak Fork. From its headwaters, the main stem of 

the Merced River flows freely through Yosemite’s 

Wilderness, a landscape of alpine peaks, glacially 

carved valleys, and high-elevation meadows. The 

river makes a dramatic entry into Yosemite Valley, 

rushing over towering cliffs in prominent waterfalls. 

As the river’s gradient lessens, it meanders through 

the rich meadow and riparian habitat of Yosemite 

Valley. At the west end of Yosemite Valley, the 

Merced River canyon narrows, and the river 

becomes a cascade of continuous rapids through 

the Merced Gorge. The gradient changes abruptly 

at the park boundary, where the river continues 

through the El Portal Administrative Site on its 

journey to the Central Valley of California.

The South Fork Merced River originates high in 

the Sierra Nevada on the eastern side of Yosemite 

National Park, draining the southwestern slopes 

of Triple Divide Peak and the west facing slopes of 

Gale Peak and Sing Peak. From its headwaters, the 

South Fork Merced River flows southwest through 

the Yosemite Wilderness and eventually through the 

town of Wawona. At the western park boundary, 

the South Fork flows through the Sierra National 

Forest to the confluence of the main stem of the 

Merced River west of El Portal.

The river has been central to a dynamic natural 

and cultural landscape for tens of thousands of 

years, and it continues to shape the landscape 

today. Ecological processes between the river and 

its floodplain support a wide elevational range 

of riparian and meadow communities providing 

habitat for a rich diversity of plants and wildlife. The 

river’s cultural heritage includes American Indian 

cultural traditions associated with the river that 

continue to the present day, along with the history 

associated with one of the nation’s first national 

parks. Today, the Merced River attracts millions 

of Yosemite visitors who enjoy opportunities for 

recreation, education, reflection, and inspiration in 

the sublime beauty of the river corridor.
Summary Guide 5

River Values

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) requires 

comprehensive planning for Wild and Scenic Rivers 

to provide for the protection and enhancement of 

the river’s free-flowing condition, water quality, 

and the outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs) 

that make it worthy of designation in the National 

Wild and Scenic Rivers System. In accordance with 

WSRA, “the plan shall address resource protection, 

development of lands and facilities, user capacities, 

and other management practices necessary or 

desirable to achieve the purposes of this Act” 

(WSRA 1968, Section 3(d)).

WSRA provides the following broad direction 

related to river management (emphasis added):

“Each component of the national Wild and Scenic 

Rivers System shall be administered in such manner 

as to protect and enhance the values which caused 

it to be included in said system without, insofar 

as is consistent therewith, limiting other uses that 

do not substantially interfere with public use and 

enjoyment of these values. In such administration 

primary emphasis shall be given to protecting 

its aesthetic, scenic, historic, archaeologic, and 

scientific features. Management plans for any 

such component may establish varying degrees of 

intensity for its protection and development, based 

on the special attributes of the area.” ( WSRA 1968, 

Section 10(a))

River Values: The Merced River was added to 

the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 

acknowledgement of the river’s free-flowing 

condition, water quality, and outstandingly 

remarkable values (ORVs). Collectively, these 

qualities are referred to as “river values.” Under the 

draft plan, protection and enhancement of river 

values is accomplished by a series of actions to 

address immediate concerns and a commitment to 

a long-term monitoring program that will ensure 

that river values remain protected over time.

Free-flowing Condition: A river must be in a 

free-flowing state to be eligible for inclusion in 

the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. A 

free-flowing river, or section of a river, moves in a 

natural condition without impoundment, diversion, 

straightening, riprapping, or other modification 

of the waterway. Once a river is designated, the 

managing agency is required to preserve it in 

its free-flowing condition for the benefit and 

enjoyment of present and future generations. The 

Merced River in Yosemite is free-flowing with few 

impediments. Under the draft plan, the NPS will 

protect its free-flowing condition by implementing 

a process under Section 7 of WSRA to ensure that 

no potential water resource project within the bed 

and banks of the river would have a direct and 

adverse effect. 

Water Quality: Another WSRA mandate is to 

protect the water quality of designated rivers. The 

Merced River in Yosemite has exceptionally high 

water quality. All measured indicators are within 

NPS standards, which are considerably more 

protective than other federal or state standards. 

The draft plan addresses risks to water quality with 

a suite of actions to address potential impacts, 

coupled with an ongoing monitoring program 

that will continue to test for nutrients, E. coli, 

and petroleum hydrocarbons to ensure that the 

exceptional baseline water quality is sustained over 

time. 

WSRA describes values to be protected with Wild 

and Scenic River designation:

“It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United 

States that certain selected rivers of the Nation 

which, with their immediate environments, possess 

outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, 

geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, 

or other similar values, shall be preserved in 

free-flowing condition, and that they and their 

immediate environments shall be preserved for 

the benefit and enjoyment of present and future 

generations.”(WSRA, 1968, Section 1(b))

Outstandingly Remarkable Values: ORVs are 

the truly exemplary characteristics of the river 

that make it worthy of inclusion in the National 

Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Interagency 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council 

(IWSRCC), which makes recommendations 

to foster consistency in the interpretation and 

implementation of WSRA, issued specific guidance 

and criteria for identifying ORVs:

•	 To be considered an ORV, a value must 

be river-related or river-dependent. To be 

considered river-related or river-dependent, 

a value must be located in the river or on its 

immediate shorelands (generally within 0.25 

mile on either side of the river); contribute 

substantially to the functioning of the river 

ecosystem; and/ or owe its location or 

existence to the presence of the river.

•	 To be considered an ORV, a value must be rare, 

unique, or exemplary in a regional or national 

context. To be considered rare, unique, or 

exemplary, a value should be a conspicuous 

example from among a number of similar 

values that are themselves uncommon or 

extraordinary.
6 Summary Guide

Outstandingly Remarkable Values of the Merced Wild and Scenic River Biological

Segments 1 and 5: The Merced River sustains numerous small meadows and riparian habitat with high biological 

integrity.

Segment 2: The meadows and riparian communities of Yosemite Valley comprise one of the largest mid-elevation 

meadow-riparian complexes in the Sierra Nevada.

Segments 7 and 8: Sierra sweet bay (Myrica hartwegii) is a rare plant found on river banks of the South Fork 

Merced River.

Geologic / Hydrologic 

Segment 1: The upper Merced River canyon is a textbook example of a glacially-carved canyon.

Segment 2: The “Giant Staircase,” which includes Vernal and Nevada falls, is one of the finest examples in the 

western United States of stair-step river morphology.

Segment 2: The Merced River from Happy Isles to the west end of Yosemite Valley provides an outstanding example of a rare, mid-elevation alluvial river.

Segment 4: The boulder bar in El Portal was created by changing river gradients, glacial history, and powerful 

floods. These elements have resulted in accumulation of extraordinarily large boulders, which are rare in such 

deposits.

Cultural

Segment 2: Yosemite Valley American Indian ethnographic resources include a linked landscape of specifically 

mapped traditional-use plant populations and as well as the ongoing traditional cultural practices that reflect the 

intricate continuing relationship between indigenous peoples of the Yosemite region and the Merced River in 

Yosemite Valley.

Segment 2: The Yosemite Valley Archeological District is an unusually rich and linked landscape that contains 

dense concentrations of resources that represent thousands of years of human settlement.

Segment 2: The Yosemite Valley Historic Resources represent a linked landscape of river-related or river-dependent, rare, unique or exemplary buildings and structures that bear witness to the historical significance of the river 

system.

Segment 4: The El Portal Archeological District contains dense concentrations of resources that represent thousands of years of occupation and evidence of continuous, far-reaching traffic and trade. This segment includes 

some of the oldest deposits in the region and archeological remains of the Johnny Wilson Ranch, a regionally rare 

historic-era American Indian Homestead.

Segment 5: This segment includes regionally rare archeological features representing indigenous settlement and 

use along the South Fork Merced River at archeological sites with rock ring features.

Segments 5, 6, 7, and 8: The Wawona Archeological District encompasses numerous clusters of resources spanning thousands of years of occupation, including unusually rich evidence of continuous far-reaching traffic and 

trade. In Segment 7, remains of the U.S. Army Cavalry Camp A. E. Wood document the unique Yosemite legacy 

of the African-American Buffalo Soldiers and the strategic placement of their camp near the Merced River.

Segment 7: The Wawona Historic Resources ORV includes one of the few covered bridges in the region and the 

National Historic Landmark Wawona Hotel complex. The Wawona Hotel complex is the largest existing Victorian 

hotel complex within the boundaries of a national park, and one of the few remaining in the United States with 

this high level of integrity.

SScenic

Segment 1: Visitors to this Wilderness segment experience exemplary views of serene montane lakes, pristine 

meadows, slickrock cascades, and High Sierra peaks.

Segment 2: Visitors to Yosemite Valley experience views of some of the world’s most iconic scenery, with the 

river and meadows forming a placid foreground to towering cliffs and waterfalls.

Segment 3: The Merced River drops 2,000 feet over 14 miles, a continuous cascade under exemplary Sierra 

granite outcrops and domes.

Segments 5 and 8: The South Fork Merced River passes through a vast area of exemplary and wild scenic 

beauty.

Recreational

Segment 1: Visitors to federally designated Wilderness in the corridor engage in a variety of river-related activities in an iconic High Sierra landscape, where opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation, self-reliance, 

and solitude shape the experience.

Segment 2: Visitors to Yosemite Valley enjoy a wide variety of river-related recreational activities in the Valley’s 

extraordinary setting along the Merced River.
Summary Guide 7

The Merced River Planning Framework

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

requires federal agencies to rigorously explore a 

range of reasonable alternatives when planning 

for a major federal action. NEPA also mandates 

an early and open process to determine the scope 

of issues surrounding the proposed action, to 

develop options for addressing those issues, and 

to provide for public review and comment on the 

environmental analyses presented in the project’s 

draft environmental impact statement (DEIS).

Using a full complement of park personnel, 

including experts in park operations, facilities, and 

cultural and natural resources, the Merced River 

planning team devoted several years of effort to 

develop five action alternatives (Alternatives 2-6)

for managing the river corridor. In building the 

alternatives, the team worked within a planning 

framework that included eight major steps, which 

are explained below. Although this framework 

is described as a series of sequential activities, 

planning is fundamentally iterative. At each step, 

new information is uncovered and new insight is 

gained that can trigger changes to prior decisions. 

Extensive internal review and public input affected 

the process. Although time-consuming, this 

process of review and revision ultimately lead to 

a stronger end product. The following sections 

provide greater detail with regard to each step in 

the planning process.

Step 1: Define River Values to be Protected and Enhanced

The WSRA mandates that each Wild and Scenic 

River “... shall be administered in such manner as to 

protect and enhance the values which caused it to be 

included in said system” (WSRA, Section 10 (a)).

Foundational Elements
8 Summary Guide

 Foundational Elements:

The NPS began the process of identifying the ORVs 

for the Merced River in 1996. After completing 

other steps in the alternative development process, 

park planners re-visited the ORVs (in 2000, 2005, 

and 2009).

The planning team conducted internal ORV 

workshops, drawing upon scientific information, 

subject-matter expertise, peer review, government 

partners, management input, and expert guidance 

from other Wild and Scenic River professionals. 

Public scoping comments regarding ORVs were 

integrated into the Draft 2010 Outstandingly 

Remarkable Values Report for the Merced Wild and 

Scenic River, which represented the culmination of 

this work.

Step 2: Assess Baseline Condition of River Values

Information used to evaluate the baseline condition 

of the Merced River ORVs included historic 

photos, maps, and archival materials; research 

studies and models of natural systems developed 

specifically for this planning effort; and the 

professional judgment of experienced subjectmatter specialists. External peer reviews of specific 

research findings and the implications for overall 

river conditions were solicited. 

The park planning team consolidated this 

information into the Merced Wild and Scenic 

River Values Draft Baseline Conditions Report. 

The assessment was also incorporated into “River 

Values and Their Management” (Chapter 5) of the 

draft plan. The report provides an assessment of 

river values at the time of the river’s designation 

(1987) and represents the existing (or “baseline”) 

condition of those values. This part of the planning 

process provides a basis for comparison with the 

expected outcome of the actions described in the 

alternatives. It was also essential for identifying 

areas where actions must be taken to improve 

conditions in the river corridor.

Step 3: Define Desired Condition, Adverse Effect, and 

Degradation for River Values

In concert with assessing river values, NPS park 

managers determined the desired condition 

for those values, based on guiding legislation, 

available research and monitoring information, best 

professional judgment, and current trends in the 

relevant academic and public land management 

fields. A comprehensive river management plan 

must contain provisions designed to prevent any 

adverse effect or degradation from occurring to 

the river values. Specific thresholds must be stated 

for mandatory management action that will occur 

ahead of any such impacts or degradation, to keep 

the state of river values at or above the desired 

condition (see Chapter 5).

Park managers developed indicators of river-value 

condition that are sensitive to change, along with 

the monitoring protocols needed to standardize 

data collection over time. By following these 

protocols, park managers will have early indications 

of changing conditions and be able to correct 

downward trends before they broach management 

standards.

Step 4: Identify Management Concerns and Potential 

Corrective Actions

This step involves applying the definitions 

of management standard, adverse effect, and 

degradation to the existing river value conditions. 

By comparing the actual river condition to the 

management standard, park managers obtained 

a clear picture of which values needed remedial 

action to bring them up to the management 

standard or forestall a downward trend in 

conditions. In addition, due to the comprehensive 

and systematic nature of this review, a host of 

localized areas of concern were identified as places 

where action could be taken to enhance river 

values.

The planning team separated this step of the 

process into two stages, primary and secondary 

scope. The primary scope evaluation was 

completed first to ensure all alternatives would 

include protective measures to remedy problems 

identified with natural and cultural ORVs. The 

ecological restoration program (detailed in 

Appendix E) forms the centerpiece of restoration 

actions in the draft plan. Actions must also correct 

past impacts to the extent possible. By identifying 

all known areas of concern and options for 

corrective actions, managers ensured all alternatives 

would protect and enhance river values. These 

actions form the core of all action alternatives.

The next stage, or secondary scope evaluation, 

pertained to issues related to visitor use, including 

congestion, transportation and visitor experience. 

Transportation modeling identified the limitations 

associated with the existing road system design and 

options for improving traffic flow. Various mixes of 

parking, overnight accommodations, camping, and 

services were packaged to provide for significantly 

different visitor experiences within the range of 

alternatives.

A summary of the primary and secondary 

scope issues, along with potential solutions, was 
Summary Guide 9

 Foundational Elements:

developed and packaged as the Merced Wild and 

Scenic River Planning Workbook (fall 2011). The 

NPS conducted five workshops in conjunction 

with the release of the workbook to gather 

public feedback on the range of potential options 

developed to protect and enhance river values. 

Step 5: Determine Location and Size of Necessary 

Facilities 

WSRA and its implementing guidelines provide 

direction on the types of facilities that are allowed 

in designated river corridors. In addition, the 

2008 opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 

Ninth Circuit on the 2005 Merced Wild and Scenic 

River Revised Comprehensive Management Plan

questioned whether the level of development in 

some parts of the river corridor was protective of 

ORVs. The planning team, therefore, evaluated 

existing facilities and services within the river 

corridor to determine whether they should be 

retained, removed or relocated in order to protect 

and enhance river values. 

Chapter 5 identifies locations where the 

development footprint, visitor uses and /or 

administrative uses were found to be causing local 

effects to components of river values. 

Chapter 7 presents the results of the planning 

team’s analysis of all existing public-use facilities 

and services to determine whether they are 

currently impacting any river values and, if so, how 

those impacts could be eliminated. In Chapter 8, 

the alternatives address the removal, redesign, and/

or relocation of those facilities.

Step 6: Solicit Public Input on Alternatives 

Public input was solicited on a regular basis 

throughout the project, from public scoping 

through the review and revision of this draft 

plan. Major topics discussed included the ORVs, 

their conditions, and indicators to assess those 

conditions; user capacity; other planning issues the 

alternatives needed to address; organizing concepts 

or themes for the alternatives, site plan concepts, 

and the preliminary alternatives themselves. 

Gateway communities, organizations, and 

interested members of the public have provided 

nearly1,500 public correspondences. The NPS 

has conducted more than 40 public meetings, 

presentations, workshops, field visits, and open 

houses in support of the EIS process. Two planning 

workbooks were prepared and distributed for 

public review and comment (fall 2011 and spring 

2012) prior to completion of the draft plan.

Step 7: Evaluate Operational and Implementation 

Feasibility of Draft Alternatives

Once draft action alternatives were completed, 

park planners put them through several rounds of 

review and critique by park managers, field staff, 

and resource experts. Planners examined all site 

proposals and management actions, ensuring that 

no unresolvable operational or logistical conflicts 

remained within individual alternatives. Cost 

estimates were developed for the alternatives, to 

ensure they were reasonable and feasible. 

Step 8: Establish User Capacities Consistent with 

Protection of River Values

WSRA and its implementing guidelines direct 

managing agencies to address user capacity in 

river management plans and to establish “the 

kinds and amounts of public use which the river 

area can sustain without impact to the values for 

which it was designated.” As with the other steps 

above, public input was a fundamental part of this 

process. The NPS asked the public to describe what 

activities they enjoy in the Merced River corridor, 

to help define the Recreational ORV and begin to 

address the issue of kinds and amounts of use the 

river can sustain. User-capacity experts developed 

a nine-step process to address user-capacity 

mandates (see Chapter 6). These steps were 

integrated into the overall planning process. User 

capacities were adjusted to reflect the experiences 

envisioned within each alternative. Planners 

produced a range of user capacities and recreation 

types, all of which are protective of river values.

On peak use 

days in Yosemite Valley, traffic 

congestion can 

exceed desired 

standards. 

The Merced 

River Draft Plan 

would alleviate traffic on 

high-use days 

through a variety of management strategies.
10 Summary Guide

Using a full complement of park personnel, the Merced River planning team devoted several years of 

effort to develop six alternatives, including a No Action alternative and five action alternatives. The NPS 

has identified Alternative 5 as its preferred alternative, but all alternatives protect and enhance river values 

while providing for kinds and amounts of visitor use that are protective of river values. Collectively, these 

alternatives represent a wide range of choices for the future management of the Merced River corridor.

Overview of the Draft Plan and Alternatives

Many of the actions described in the range of 

alternatives are considered “Common to All” 

and would be implemented regardless of which 

alternative is selected as the final proposed action; 

they are considered appropriate management 

responses to protect river values or address 

significant issues or concerns in the river corridor.

These actions common to all do not constitute an 

independent alternative but are an integral part of 

Alternatives 2–6. Each alternative is made up of 

both the actions common to Alternatives 2–6 as 

well as the actions that vary across the alternatives. 

The common actions are the heart of the draft plan; 

they address how river values would be protected, 

regardless of how the visitor experience and 

related services and facilities might vary across the 

range. The actions that vary across the alternative 

are reflective of varying degrees of ecological 

restoration, levels of user capacities, and of varying 

types of visitor experiences.

Segments and Classifications: Section 2 of the 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) requires each 

segment of the river be classified as wild, scenic, 

or recreational based on the level of development 

present in the river corridor. The Merced Wild and 

Scenic River has eight segments, four of which are 

classified as recreational (Segments 2, 4, 6, 7), two 

wild segments (Segments 1 and 8) and one scenic 

segment (Segment 3), representing the management 

areas that have been established for the Merced 

River Plan. These segments and classifications are 

common to all action alternatives.
Summary Guide 11

Restoration

Multiple actions would be taken across all alternatives to ecologically restore, protect and enhance 

hydrologic and ecological processes, free-flowing 

condition, water quality, cultural resources, and 

meadows and riparian habitat. A 150-foot riparian 

buffer, measured from the ordinary high-water 

mark, would be protected and enhanced corridorwide. Eroded riverbanks would be repaired 

through restoration, and vulnerable riverbanks and 

riparian vegetation would be protected from trampling. Visitors would be directed to use resilient 

areas, such as low-angle sandbar beaches. Ditches 

in meadows would be filled, six miles of informal 

trails in meadows and riparian areas would be 

removed, and abandoned underground infrastructure would be removed. Informal roadside parking 

along meadows and associated fill material would 

be removed to restore meadow area and protect 

meadows from informal trailing. Cultural resources, 

such as archeological sites, would be protected 

from irretrievable loss. 

Transportation

Multiple actions would be implemented related 

to parking, traffic management, and public transit 

across all alternatives such as expanding public 

transit options while ensuring continued visitor 

access by personal vehicle. The Yosemite Village 

Day-use Parking Area (Camp 6) will be relocated at least 150 feet from the river, though the 

configuration and capacity varies by alternative. 

Under Alternatives 2-6, an East Yosemite Valley 

day-use parking permit system could be instituted 

if conditions reach a point where day-use demand 

frequently exceeds available day parking, and 

formal traffic diversions are needed for 14 or more 

days during the peak season for two consecutive 

years (see Chapter 6). 

Actions Common to Alternatives 2–6

Overnight Accommodations

New walk-in campgrounds would be provided 

under Alternatives 2–6 west of the Backpackers 

Camp (16 sites) and east of Camp 4 (35 sites). These 

sites would offset the number of sites that would 

be removed (the number of which varies across the 

alternatives) to restore ecological conditions. Lodging at The Ahwahnee and the Wawona Hotel would 

remain at current levels under all the alternatives 

(123 units at The Ahwahnee and 104 units at the 

Wawona Hotel). Lodging at other locations would 

differ among the alternatives.

Recreation

Under all alternatives, private boating (rafts, kayaks, 

paddle boards, inner tubes, and inflatable mattresses) would continue to be allowed. An interpretive nature walk through the Lower River area that 

emphasizes river-related natural processes would 

be developed, and opportunities for picnicking 

would be improved at the Cathedral, Sentinel, and 

Swinging Bridge picnic areas. All commercial stock 

day rides would be discontinued in Yosemite Valley. 

The draft plan would enhance the sense of arrival 

for park visitors as they are guided toward the 

primary Yosemite Village Day-use Parking Area. In 

addition, it would reduce congestion and improve 

visitor experience at Bridalveil Fall by redesigning 

trails, boardwalks, and the viewing platform at the 

base of the fall, and by improving accessibility and 

restroom facilities.

Raised boardwalks, like this one through Cook’s Meadow, 

provide access through wet meadows while maintaining 

the natural meadow connectivity and hydrologic flow.
12 Summary Guide

Overview of the Alternatives

Alternative 1: No Action

Alternative 1, also known as the “No Action 

Alternative,” is required by NEPA implementing 

regulations and serves as a baseline from which 

to compare the action alternatives. Alternative 

1 represents existing conditions in 2011, when 

the NPS completed a series of research studies 

to assess the conditions of river values in the 

Merced River corridor. This alternative assumes 

that current trends in the conditions of natural 

and cultural resources and visitor experiences 

would continue, consistent with the management 

activities that are ongoing under existing plans. 

Future actions requiring additional planning 

and environmental compliance could still occur, 

independent of the draft plan, but they would not 

be considered part of the No Action Alternative.

The ORVs would continue to be protected 

by ongoing management programs although 

management considerations and concerns 

would continue, as discussed in Chapter 5 of the 

draft plan. Ecological restoration actions would 

be limited to those that would only require a 

categorical exclusion in compliance with NEPA, 

and those identified in the 2009 Settlement 

Agreement. Although ecological restoration without 

a comprehensive plan could mitigate some impacts 

to river values, concerns associated with the current 

management of the river corridor (which the 

draft plan is intended to address) would generally 

continue under the No Action Alternative. 

Under the No Action Alternative, existing usercapacity management actions would continue. 

This includes the use of the wilderness permit 

system for overnight use of the backcountry, and 

the reservations systems for camping and lodging 

accommodations. Day use would remain unlimited. 

Traffic congestion would be managed by staff 

directing traffic; maximizing parking efficiency; and 

diverting inbound traffic away from Yosemite Valley 

if no parking were available during peak-use days. 

Pilot transit programs would continue to provide 

limited additional service to destinations within the 

river corridor and Yosemite Valley, in particular. 

All existing services and facilities would be 

retained. Visitors would continue to have access to 

more locations and services than they would under 

the action alternatives. However, traffic congestion 

and crowding at popular attractions would 

continue to significantly degrade the quality of the 

experience for many visitors.

Since 2009, 

Yosemite 

National Park 

has hosted 

more than 40 

meetings to 

bring together park staff, 

park partners, 

and the public to engage 

in dialogue 

about the 

future of the 

Merced River 

corridor.

At Curry Village, all Merced River Draft Plan action alternatives remove temporary employee housing at both 

Boys Town (pictured) and Huff House. Replacement permanent housing will be located near Huff House. 
Summary Guide 13

 Overview of the Alternatives

Alternative 2: Self-Reliant Visitor 

Experiences and Extensive Floodplain 

Restoration

The guiding principles of Alternative 2 would 

include maximizing the restoration of the 100-year 

floodplain by removing infrastructure not essential 

to resource-related recreation, and creating a 

more self-reliant visitor experience, where fewer 

commercial services would be available. Visitoruse levels would be managed to allow for visitor 

experiences free of crowding or congestion. 

Management actions in Alternative 2 would: 

•	 Restore 347 acres of meadow and riparian 

habitat.

•	 Slightly reduce the available campsites 

corridorwide (-8%), including a reduction in 

Yosemite Valley campsites (-3%)

•	 Significantly reduce the available lodging 

corridorwide (-43%), including a reduction in 

Yosemite Valley lodging (-46%).

•	 Reduce day-use parking spaces in Yosemite 

Valley (-23%).

•	 Reduce commercial services.

•	 Make significant changes to traffic-circulation 

patterns in Yosemite Valley to accommodate 

ecological restoration goals and reduce traffic 

congestion.

•	 Accommodate approximately 13,900 visitors 

per day in East Yosemite Valley.

•	 Continue to manage overnight use through the 

wilderness permit system and a reservation 

system for lodging and camping.

•	 Manage day-use capacity for East Yosemite 

Valley through a parking permit system 

required during peak season.

Alternative 3: Dispersed Visitor Experiences 

and Extensive Riverbank Restoration

The guiding principles of Alternative 3 would 

include restoration of large portions of the 

floodplain and the riparian area within 150 feet 

of the river. This alternative would accommodate 

much lower maximum visitor-use levels than today 

and would offer fewer commercial services and 

facilities. Visitor-use levels would be managed 

to allow for dispersed visitor experiences free of 

crowding or congestion.

Management actions in Alternative 3 would:

•	 Restore 302 acres of meadow and riparian 

habitat. 

•	 Slightly reduce the campsite inventory 

corridorwide(-3%) but slightly increase the 

campsite inventory in Yosemite Valley (+2%). 

•	 Significantly reduce the lodging inventory 

corridorwide (-37%), including a significant 

reduction in Yosemite Valley (-40%). 

•	 Significantly reduce day-use parking for 

Yosemite Valley (-32%).

•	 Reduce commercial services.

•	 Make significant changes to the traffic 

circulation pattern in Yosemite Valley to 

accommodate ecological restoration goals and 

reduce traffic congestion. 

•	 Accommodate approximately 13,200 visitors 

per day in East Yosemite Valley. 

•	 Continue to manage overnight use through 

wilderness quotas and reservation systems for 

lodging and camping.

•	 Manage day-use capacity for East Yosemite 

Valley through permits and a reservation 

system required during peak season. 

Alternative 4: Resource-Based Visitor 

Experiences and Targeted Riverbank 

Restoration

The guiding principles of Alternative 4 include 

restoration of portions of the floodplain and 

the riparian area within 150 feet of the river. 

This alternative focuses on providing only 

those commercial services and facilities that 

facilitate resource-based visitor experiences. It 

accommodates lower maximum visitor use levels 

than today, with large increases in overnight 

camping capacity, and moderate decrease in the 

overnight lodging capacity.

Management actions in Alternative 4 would: 

•	 Restore 223 acres of meadow and riparian 

habitat.

•	 Significantly increase the campsite inventory 

corridorwide (+37%), including an increase in 

the Yosemite Valley campsite inventory (+50%).

•	 Reduce the lodging inventory corridorwide 

(-20%) and in Yosemite Valley (-20%).

•	 Reduce day-use parking for Yosemite Valley 

(-12%).

•	 Reduce commercial services.

•	 Make targeted changes to the traffic circulation 

pattern in Yosemite Valley to accommodate 

ecological restoration goals and reduce traffic 

congestion.

•	 Accommodate approximately 17,000 visitors 

per day in East Yosemite Valley.

•	 Continue to manage overnight-use capacity 

through wilderness permits, and reservation 

systems for lodging and camping.

•	 Manage day-use capacity for East Yosemite 

Valley through permits and a reservation 

system required during peak season. 
14 Summary Guide

 Overview of the Alternatives

Alternative 5 (Preferred): Enhanced Visitor 

Experience and Essential Riverbank 

Restoration 

The “preferred alternative” is the agency-preferred 

course of action at the time a draft EIS is released. 

It represents our attempt 

to balance the multiple 

objectives and interests 

inherent in planning for a 

national park. For the draft 

plan, the NPS has identified 

Alternative 5 as the 

preferred course of action.

The guiding principles of 

Alternative 5 would include 

significant restoration within 100 feet of the river 

and in meadow and riparian areas, maintaining 

daily visitation in Yosemite Valley to accommodate 

peak levels similar to those observed in recent 

years, reducing unnecessary facilities and services, 

and converting facilities from administrative use to 

public use where feasible. 

Management actions in Alternative 5 would:

•	 Restore 203 acres of meadow and riparian 

habitat. 

•	 Significantly increase the campsite inventory 

corridorwide (+28%), including the inventory 

in Yosemite Valley (+37%).

•	 Minimally increase the lodging inventory 

corridorwide (less than 1%), including a minor 

increase in Yosemite Valley lodging (+2%). 

•	 Increase day-use parking spaces in Yosemite 

Valley (+5%). 

•	 Reduce commercial services.

•	 Make significant changes to the traffic 

circulation pattern to meet ecological 

restoration goals and reduce traffic congestion 

through infrastructure improvements. 

•	 Accommodate approximately 19,900 visitors 

per day in East Yosemite Valley.

•	 Continue to manage overnight-use capacity 

through wilderness permits and reservation 

systems for lodging and camping.

•	 Manage day-use capacity for East Yosemite 

Valley through traffic diversions and 

monitoring. 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE

If implemented as proposed, the Preferred Alternative (Alternative 5) will restore more than 

200 acres of meadow and riparian habitat and outlines a program of targeted restoration 

to reverse site-specific impacts stemming from past patterns of visitor use. Additionally, the 

removal and redesign of selected facilities subject to flooding and rock-fall hazard will reduce 

the likelihood of future impacts. A robust monitoring program is a prominent feature of the 

plan, complete with pre-identified actions to mitigate unanticipated impacts. This program 

ensures the protection of the priceless attributes of the Merced River corridor and will allow 

for the evaluation of the success of restoration goals and provide the information needed to 

adapt management practices as necessary.

The Preferred Alternative retains the essence of Yosemite, ensuring that the experiences 

enjoyed by generations of families are sustained over time. Visitors will continue to enjoy the 

freedom to access Yosemite Valley by private vehicle with increased options for public transit 

and expanded shuttle bus service. Traffic congestion and crowding will be reduced through 

organized and efficient parking for day-use visitors. Other actions are designed to reclaim the 

heart of Yosemite Valley for visitor use and enjoyment and create a “sense of arrival” to the 

Valley with the redesign of the primary day-use parking area and the removal of industrial 

and administrative functions. Recommendations of professional traffic engineers will be 

implemented to improve circulation, reduce congestion and provide for a more relaxed visitor 

experience.

Overnight accommodations (camping and lodging) will be improved; low-cost camping will 

be expanded in Yosemite Valley by 37 percent. Some tent cabins in Curry Village will be 

replaced by hard-sided cabins to provide more opportunities for year-round accommodation. 

Substandard, temporary, and aging employee housing will be replaced with code-compliant 

facilities that complement the historic character and scenic quality of Yosemite. Replacement 

housing will be constructed to LEED Gold or higher performance standards, reducing water 

and energy consumption.

Finally, the Preferred Alternative ensures that Yosemite will continue to make a strong and 

positive contribution to local and regional economies, and our projections indicate that 

visitors will continue to spend over $380 million annually during their visits to the park. 

This level of visitor spending will continue to support more than 6,500 jobs within the 

surrounding four-county region, most prominently in gateway communities.

Sierra sweet bay 

(Myrica hartwegii) is a rare plant 

found along the 

South Fork. The 

plant blooms in 

mid-May, as shown 

below, just as its 

leaves are beginning to emerge.
Summary Guide 15

Alternative 6: Diversified Visitor 

Experiences and Selective Riverbank 

Restoration 

Guiding principles of Alternative 6 include 

limited restoration within 100 feet of the river 

and in meadow and riparian areas, infrastructure 

improvements to accommodate growth in 

peak daily visitation in the Yosemite Valley, and 

expansion of facilities and services for diversified 

visitor experiences.

Management actions in Alternative 6 would:

•	 Restore 170 acres of meadow and riparian 

habitat. 

•	 Significantly increase the campsite inventory 

corridorwide (+46%), including a major 

increase in the campsite inventory of Yosemite 

 Overview of the Alternatives

Valley (+59%).

•	 Increase the lodging inventory corridorwide 

(+18%), including an increase in Yosemite 

Valley (+21%).

•	 Increase day-use parking for Yosemite Valley 

(+11%). 

•	 Expand facilities and services to accommodate 

growth in visitation.

•	 Reduce traffic congestions and improve traffic 

circulation through major infrastructure 

improvements. 

•	 Accommodate approximately 21,800 visitors 

per day in East Yosemite Valley.

•	 Continue to manage overnight-use capacity 

through wilderness quotas and reservation 

systems for lodging and camping.

•	 Manage day-use capacity for East Yosemite 

Valley through traffic diversions and 

monitoring.

The Merced River Draft Plan would restore the bed and banks of the river to natural 

conditions, like the section shown here. Restoration actions will improve the freeflowing condition of the river.

Yosemite’s scientists study the 

park’s archeological resources. In 

the Merced River Draft Plan, cultural resources would be protected 

and enhanced as part of seven 

cultural outstandingly remarkable 

values (ORVs).
16 Summary Guide

 Where to Learn More About the Merced River Plan

We hope this guide has served as a useful synopsis 

of the draft plan and that you are now inspired to 

learn more about the plan. In the following pages, 

find more information about the organization 

of the document and elements of the plan with 

additional detail. Also, you will find information on 

how to submit public comment and stay engaged in 

the plan.

Chapter 1: The Merced Wild and Scenic River

describes the purpose of the nation’s Wild and 

Scenic Rivers System and what the designation of 

the Merced River as part of that system means in 

terms of river planning.

Chapter 2: The Purpose and Need for the Merced 

River Plan describes the purpose and organization 

of the plan, the major planning issues identified 

during internal and public scoping, and the interrelationships with other plans and projects.

Chapter 3: Wild and Scenic River Corridor 

Boundaries and Segment Classifications explains 

the legal requirements for establishing a river 

corridor boundary and for classifying its segments. 

This chapter describes the boundary and segment 

classifications for the Merced River in Yosemite 

National Park.

Chapter 4: Determination Process for Water Resource Projects explains the legal requirements for 

protecting the river’s free-flowing condition and 

describes the process that will be used to fulfill that 

requirement.

Chapter 5: River Values and Their Management

discusses each river value in detail, including a 

summary of conditions at the time of designation in 1987 and existing conditions as of 2011. 

Site-specific actions would be taken to remedy 

any deficiencies in condition in every alternative. 

Yosemite is committed to a long-term monitoring 

program that tracks and ensures the success of 

these actions. 

Chapter 6: Visitor Use and User Capacity describes

the process used to address the WSRA’s usercapacity requirement. The major differences among 

the plan alternatives (presented in “Alternatives” 

Chapter 8) have to do with the kinds and amounts 

of use the river corridor could receive in the future. 

Chapter 7: Facilities and Services Analysis examines 

structures and facilities within each segment of 

the Merced River corridor in terms of their effect 

on river values. This chapter also examines the 

feasibility of relocating, removing, or re-designing 

facilities that cause management concerns with 

regard to river values.
Summary Guide 17

 Where to Learn More About the Merced River Plan

Chapter 8: Alternatives presents the six alternatives 

(no action plus five action alternatives) under consideration in the draft plan. The differences among 

the alternatives vary primarily based on visitor use 

and user capacity. Many of the actions needed to 

protect and enhance river values are common to all 

the action alternatives.

 Chapter 8: Alternatives Map

Maps of key locations in the 

Merced River corridor are 

provided to orient readers to 

the planning areas and the context in which the actions and 

facilities are situated. These key 

planning areas include Curry 

Village and Campgrounds; 

Yosemite Village and Housekeeping Camp; Yosemite Lodge and Camp 4; West Yosemite Valley; El 

Portal; Wawona; Merced Lake High Sierra Camp. 

 Chapter 8: Conceptual Site Drawings

Site plan drawings are included 

for a few key locations in the 

discussion of the Alternative. 

These locations include Curry 

Village; Yosemite Village Day-use 

Parking Area; Valley Maintenance Yard; and Yosemite Lodge 

Day-use Parking Area. These 

drawings are provided to demonstrate where facilities would 

be removed, relocated or constructed according to 

actions more fully described by project alternatives. 

These drawings do not represent a final proposal. 

More detailed design and construction documents 

would be developed consistent with the general 

concept presented here. 

 Chapter 8: River Value Analysis

At the conclusion of each alternative description, 

there is an analysis of how each alternative is protective of River Values. Consistent with WSRA, to 

“protect and enhance the values which cause [the 

river] to be included in [the Wild and Scenic Rivers] system,” all actions included in each alternative 

must be protective of river values. This section 

demonstrates how the actions to address management concerns and considerations in combination 

with the actions addressing issues and opportunities would be protective of river values. 

Chapter 9: Affected Environment and Environmental 

Consequences identifies and describes the natural 

and sociocultural resources and values that could 

be affected by the alternatives presented in Chapter 

8 and evaluates and compares the potential effects 

of the alternatives. Chapter 9 looks comprehensively at the components of the human environment 

that might be affected by the plan and assesses 

how they might be affected by actions intended to 

protect and enhance river values.

g Housekeepin Camp Footbridge Stoneman

Bridge

oN tr hs di e Dr vi e

Curry 

Village

Lower Pines

Campground

North Pines

Campground

Upper Pines

Campground

Clark's

Bridge

Tenaya

Bridge

evi R

uoBr odirr o r C dn r a y

Boys

Town Southside Drive

Backpackers The Ahwahnee

Campground

Stoneman

Bridge

Happy Isles Bridge

Merced R vi er

Royal

Arches

Meadow

Stoneman

Meadow

Ahwahnee

Meadow

Ahwahnee Bridge

Tennis Court

Concessioner Stable

Upper River 

Campground Area

Ahwahnee

Parking

Wilderness

Parking

Curry Village Parking

0.25 Miles 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

ALTERNATIVE 5

CURRY VILLAGE AND CAMPGROUNDS

Huff

House

eT an

keer C ay

EAST YOSEMITE VALLEY: CURRY VILLAGE AND CAMPGROUNDS

1. Former Upper and Lower River Campground

estore to natural conditions. Provide picnic tables and parking for Ecologically r • Former Lower River Campground: 

and directed river access to the Housekeeping Camp eastern beach. day use 

 with 30 walk-in sites. out of the 25-year floodplain • New Upper River Campground: Construct a new campground 

 Restore hydrologic processes in the southeast portion of the area.

 • Restoration: Restore 35.6 acres of floodplain. Protect the riverbank from trampling by fencing sensitive areas.

2. River Reach Between Bridges

 • Ahwahnee and Sugar Pine Bridges: Retain Ahwahnee Bridge. Remove the Sugar Pine Bridge to enhance 

 free-flowing condition of the river. Re-route the multiple-use trail to the north bank of the river. Add another trail 

 from the end of Ahwahnee Bridge toward Lower Pines Campground. Construct a new bridge to span the cutoff 

 channel.

 • Stoneman Bridge: Mitigate effects of bridge to free-flowing condition through engineered solutions: place large 

 wood to lessen scouring, and use brushlayering, a constructed log jam, and culverts along Northside Drive. 

3. Curry Village Area

 • Lodging: Total would be 453 guest units, including: 290 tents in Curry Village retained; 98 hard-sided units in 

 Boys Town constructed; 18 units at Stoneman House retained; and 47 cabin-with-bath units in Curry Village 

 retained. 

 • Curry Orchard Parking Area: Provide 430 parking spaces through a re-design of the parking area that

 incorporates best management practices to protect water quality. Also, apply engineering solutions to promote 

 water flow and to increase drainage to Stoneman Meadow. Remove apple trees to mitigate human-bear 

 interactions and plant native vegetation. 

4. North Pines Campground Area

 • Ecological Restoration at Campgrounds: Remove campsites within 100 feet of the river at North Pines,

 Backpackers and Lower Pines campgrounds. Restore 6.5 acres of riparian habitat. Designate a formal river access 

 point at North Pines campground.

 • Backpackers Campground: Retain 10 walk-in sites. Remove 15 walk-in sites within the 100-foot riparian buffer to 

 be replaced by 16 walk-in sites west of Backpackers Campground.

 • North Pines Campground: Retain 72 campsites. Remove 14 sites from within 100 feet of river.

 • Concessioner Stables in Yosemite Valley: Retain stables to support the operation of the Merced Lake High Sierra 

 Camp. Provide overflow parking for campgrounds at the stables. Retain kennel service. Retain associated 

 housing (25 beds).

5. Lower Pines Campground Area

 • Campground Sites: Retain 71 campsites and remove five sites from within 100 feet of river.

6. Upper Pines Campground Area

 • Campground Sites: Retain 238 campsites. Remove two sites for sensitive resource concerns. 

 • New RV Loop: Construct a new campground loop with 36 RV sites.

 • New Walk-in Sites: Construct a new walk-in campground with 49 sites and two group camping sites.

ALTERNATIVE 5: ENHANCED VISITOR EXPERIENCES AND ESSENTIAL RIVERBANK RESTORATION

The Merced River Plan aims to improve parking, such as in 

the Curry Orchard Parking Area, to enhance the visitor experience while protecting river values.

The Wawona Historic Resources ORV, as part of the Merced 

River Draft Plan, includes one of the few covered bridges in 

the region.

Chapter 10: Consultation and Coordination summarizes all consultation and coordination efforts 

undertaken for the draft plan to date. It outlines 

the project scoping history and the much broader 

public involvement history that extended through 

every step of the development of the draft plan. It 

describes specific consultations with the traditionally associated American Indian tribes and the 

federal, state, and local agencies having jurisdiction 

or particular interests in the Merced River corridor.
18 Summary Guide

How to Comment/Stay Involved

Meeting Schedule

View a schedule of public webinar and workshops 

at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp-deis.htm. As 

part of its robust outreach efforts in early 2013, the 

park will present several informational webinars 

to brief the public on the key elements of the 

draft plan prior to the start of the public meetings, 

to be held in the park and in various gateway 

communities.

Public Comment

To make an official comment on the draft plan, visit 

the Merced River Plan Planning, Environment, and 

Public Comment (PEPC) website at 

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/mrp_deis. Electronic 

comment submittal through PEPC saves resources 

and allows for direct entry into the NPS comment 

analysis system. Alternately, your comments can 

be emailed to yose_planning@nps.gov, faxed to 

209/379-1294 or mailed to:

Superintendent Yosemite National Park

Attn: Merced River Plan

P.O. Box 577

Yosemite, CA 95389

Your feedback needs to be received before the close 

of the 90-day comment period. View details at 

www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp-deis.htm, 

including the date the comment period closes. 

Updates

Stay involved and learn of plan updates, including 

meeting dates, by following the draft plan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YosemiteNPS. 

Online Information

Access information regarding the draft plan online 

at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp-deis.htm. 

On this park webpage, you can access documents, 

graphics, useful web links, and information on 

public meetings and how to submit official public 

comment. Online files include an electronic 

version of the document along with related maps, 

conceptual site drawings, and outreach materials, 

including this Summary Guide. Web links also offer 

additional ways you can learn about the draft plan. 

Interactive Map

A new interactive web map viewer allows for a 

rapid, visual comparison of the alternatives in a 

map-based format. Actions regarding restoration, 

land use and facility management are shown where 

they are proposed. Each alternative, including 

Alternative 5 (Preferred), can be turned on and 

off for easy comparison of differences in the 

alternatives. Users can “zoom in” to explore 

proposed actions for specific planning areas, such 

as Yosemite Valley, El Portal, and Wawona. Explore 

the range of alternatives for the draft plan at 

http://imgis.nps.gov/yose.

Fact Sheets

To help inform the public about the draft plan, fact 

sheets have been developed that delve deeper into a 

single topic. These topics include restoration; parking; camping; an overview of the alternatives; and 

Alternative 5 (Preferred).

Bibliography

Scientific studies in the draft plan draw from a 

broad base of professional disciplines to ensure 

that the park is painting a holistic picture of the 

current condition of the river and its ORVs. These 

disciplines include biology, hydrology, geology, social 

sciences, archaeology, and others. View

www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp_research.htm

for documents that support the park’s river research 

and data collection.
Summary Guide 19
National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Merced Wild and Scenic River

Draft Comprehensive Management Plan

and Environmental Impact Statement

Yosemite National Park

P.O. Box 577

Yosemite, CA 95389

www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp.htm

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM

As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has 

responsibility for most of our nationally owned lands and natural resources. This includes 

fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and 

biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national 

parks and historical places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor 

recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to 

ensure that their development is in the best interests of all people by encouraging 

stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major 

responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in 

island territories under U.S. administration.

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