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Show The following examples of conflicts between recreation and other kinds of resources use are meant to point up areas where consideration of all values involved is necessary so that, as water de- velopment proceeds, the people can make their choice between the values they will forego and the ones they will obtain. When it becomes our policy to preserve and develop for use all existing and potential values of an area rather than to advance particular types of projects, conflicts in interest will appear in their proper perspective. But in planning for all-purpose use we must face frankly the kinds of conflicts which arise. Reservoir Construction versus Established Parks and .Monuments. This conflict has been most pronounced where dam construction, pro- posed to impound water primarily for power, flood control, or irrigation, has threatened to alter natural waters, streams, lakes, and waterfalls within the boundaries of national park and na- tional monument areas, but it may be applicable to some State park areas as well. Currently this issue has arisen in relation to Mining City Dam in Kentucky which may affect Mammoth Cave National Park; the proposed Bridge Canyon Dam on the Colorado River which would back up water into Grand Canyon National Park; the proposed Echo Park and Split Mountain Dams which would inundate por- tions of Dinosaur National Monument; and the proposed G-lacier View Dam and Reservoir which would affect Glacier National Park. Considera- tion of one such area is sufficient to point up the conflicting interests. The Glacier View Reservoir would be a valu- able unit in the Columbia River Basin power sys- tem. It has a relatively low construction cost for the amount of storage provided and would yield large benefits for power. Alternative sites for power development which have been considered would be much more expensive, would yield lower net benefits, and would have other impor- tant disadvantages. This reservoir would inun- date about 1 percent of the present area of Glacier National Park, but its proponents maintain that it could be operated in such a way as not to impair scenic mountain views and that areas of the park would become accessible by boat to a much larger portion of park visitors than now reach them by horseback or hiking trail. Because the reservoir would inundate a section in the western part of Glacier National Park, this project has met with very strong objections and it has not yet been authorized. These objections center on three undesirable results which would be associated with the inundation: (1) Impair- ment of park views; (2) destruction of an 8,000- acre stand of ponderosa pine which is not now owned by the Park Service but for which pur- chase is under negotiation; (3) destruction of a major part of the winter habitat of the park's white-tailed deer, 30 percent of the mule deer winter range, and 70 percent of the beaver habitat. The sensitivity in many quarters to possible park changes indicates the need for a careful and discriminating approach in arriving at decisions. The congressional act which established the first national park, Yellowstone, in 1872 required "the preservation, from injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities or wonders within said park and their retention in their natural condition." This pattern has been followed, with rare exceptions, with respect to all national parks and monuments. The need to preserve the Nation's outstanding scenic areas is obvious. These areas, carefully managed, retain intrinsic values paying constant social dividends which are certain to increase as the natural areas of the Nation become pro- gressively more scarce. Yet, resolution of conflicts between scenic and historic areas and proposed water resources de- velopments is both necessary and desirable. This will require careful study of all factors involved in any location where conflict develops, consider- ation of alternative project locations to avoid de- struction of significant features, and considera- tion of alternative opportunities for recreation and scenic areas. In general, where conflicts exist between estab- lished recreation use of an area and water devel- opment, the following principles are applicable: 1. Water and related land resources develop- ment should not be permitted to adversely affect any area which has been established by appropri- 254 |
