American River Corridor Management Plan

AMERICAN RIVER CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Board of Directors of the LWVS has voted to endorse the American River Corridor Management Plan. This plan is intended to guide the management of the American River corridor between the its' confluence with the Sacramento River at Discovery Park to Lake Natomas near Folsom.

The Lower American River is a regional jewel in the Sacramento area. It provides important habitat for resident and migratory fish and wildlife species, a high-quality water source for the local community and the region as a whole, a critical floodway for the Sacramento area, and a spectacular regional recreational Parkway.

Because of the Parkway's natural beauty, proximity to an urban population, and recreational values, the river has been designated a "recreational river" in both the Federal and State Wild and Scenic River systems. The Parkway's trail system has been designated a "National Recreational Trail."

Historical modifications to the American River watershed and the physical and operational constraints currently imposed on the river make it increasingly difficult to sustain the river's beneficial uses without a coordinated resource management program.

The River Corridor Management Plan recommends a comprehensive approach to sustain and enhance environmental vitality and recreational uses of the River, without compromising efforts to provide reliable flood protection and water supply.

Developed by the common will of 18 public agencies, twelve community groups and three collaborative partnerships, the Plan proposes a regional long-term management strategy for the Lower American River that integrates flood-control needs, habitat restoration and recreation. Although not legally binding, the plan is a series of agreements-in-principle among entities that are committing to a single integrated plan for action.

Nearly 100 Recommended Actions are identified in the Plan. A number of those are expected to be implemented within the next three years. Examples include:

Updating the American River Parkway Plan.

Restoring and improving the Jedediah Smith Bicycle Trail and other recreation facilities.

Removing invasive nonnative plant species and expanding native vegetation.

Improving the reliability of the existing flood-control system along the Lower American River while sustaining the complexity and diversity of riparian habitats.

Restoring and enhancing both aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

Updating the River controlled flow released regime and implementing a river temperature management plan to enhance the survival and reproduction of fisheries.

The Plan takes an important step toward carefully and effectively managing the River's resources. The Plan will guide these management activities over the next three years until completion of the update of the American River Parkway Plan