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Management Goals
Goals identify long-range direction for the management of the river corridor. This management must carefully balance multiple goals, especially in a park as large, diverse, and complex as Yosemite National Park. The five defining goals of the General Management Plan and the five goals of the Merced River Plan are intertwined, and no one goal can be emphasized to the complete exclusion of the others. The following section presents the goals from Yosemite’s General Management Plan and a summary statement for each goal as applied to the Merced River Plan. This is followed by a set of goals specifically developed for the Merced River Plan.
General Management Plan Goals
The 1980 General Management Plan for Yosemite National Park established five broad goals to guide management of the park as a whole and to perpetuate Yosemite’s natural splendor. Although the General Management Plan is over 20 years old, its goals are still valid today and apply to the management of the Merced River corridor under the Merced River Plan.
Reclaim priceless natural beauty
The Merced Wild and Scenic River is a vital component of Yosemite National Park, a park recognized worldwide for its unique, scenic grandeur. The main stem of the river connects the wilderness to Yosemite Valley, where the river meanders through meadows and woodlands, and continues on a canyon-carving descent through El Portal. The South Fork flows from mountainous wilderness areas through the historic town of Wawona, into foothill canyons, to its confluence with the main stem. The priceless natural beauty of the river corridor shall be protected and enhanced for today’s visitors and future generations.
Allow natural processes to prevail
The natural processes of the Merced River corridor sustain many biological communities, such as meadows, riparian areas, and aquatic habitats. Some processes, such as hydrology, have been altered by historic and current land-use patterns. The Merced River shall be protected and further restored to its free-flowing condition, allowing the natural processes that have shaped the Valley to continue.
Promote visitor understanding and enjoyment
Interpretation and education programs are valuable in enhancing visitor enjoyment and increasing understanding of the natural processes and events that have shaped the park. Interpretive programs also help instill a sense of respect and responsibility for the natural and cultural environment in the park and beyond. Visitors should be encouraged to engage in the resource-based recreational and educational opportunities available along the river.
Markedly reduce traffic congestion
Traffic congestion that occurs in the Merced River corridor can affect some of its Outstandingly Remarkable Values, such as enjoyment of the natural river environment. Providing visitor access to the river while protecting and enhancing the condition of the corridor’s natural and cultural resources requires careful planning and design of circulation and transportation facilities. Where applicable, the Merced River Plan contributes to reducing traffic congestion by guiding subsequent plans that address road locations and facilities, parking areas, turnouts, and other related issues.
Reduce crowding
The popularity of national parks such as Yosemite continues to grow. During peak visitation periods, crowding can diminish visitors’ experiences and may contribute to degradation of resources along the river. Where applicable, the Merced River Plan contributes to subsequent planning that will manage crowding through careful design, relocation, or removal of specific facilities, and the Merced River Plan will implement the Visitor Experience Resource Protection framework which may set use limits, disperse visitor impacts, and establish other measures to protect both the diversity of visitor experiences and the resources of the river corridor.
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While the Merced River Plan works in concert with the goals set forth in the General Management Plan, it also outlines an additional set of specific goals for management of the Merced Wild and Scenic River. The Merced River Plan’s five goals were developed to further the policy established by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, namely to preserve designated rivers in their free-flowing condition, and protect and enhance the river’s Outstandingly Remarkable Values.
Protect and enhance river-related natural resources
The Merced River contains diverse biological communities that have experienced varying levels of human disturbance. The natural function of riparian areas, wetlands, and floodplains of the Merced River shall be maintained and restored. Restoration activities shall strive to return habitat to natural levels of complexity and diversity. Water quality shall be maintained at the highest possible levels.
Protect and restore natural hydrological and geomorphic processes
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is intended to preserve the free-flowing condition of designated rivers such as the Merced. The hydrologic processes of the Merced River, including natural flood cycles, channel dynamics, and interconnection of ground and surface water systems, have been altered by historic and current land-use patterns. Restoration and management activities shall redirect visitor use and facilities that are causing unacceptable impacts to the river system.
Protect and enhance river-related cultural resources
The Merced River corridor has been inhabited for thousands of years, and evidence of this history, including historical and archeological sites, remains today. These cultural resources shall be cherished and maintained as important links to the human history of the Merced River. Archeological, historic, and cultural sites and landscapes are also part of the living tradition of resource stewardship for culturally associated American Indian people.
Provide diverse river-related recreational and educational experiences
The Merced River is a valuable recreational and educational resource for visitors from around the country and the world. The river should provide opportunities for enjoyable and educational experiences within the river’s natural and cultural landscapes. People with diverse interests and expectations shall be able to find a broad spectrum of opportunities, from options for solitude and quiet to group activities. Appropriate access to the river shall be provided; recreational facilities shall be designed and sited to ensure protection of the Outstandingly Remarkable Values and to preserve the free-flowing condition of the Merced Wild and Scenic River.
Provide appropriate land uses
To enable the many visitors to the park each year to enjoy and learn about the Merced River’s Outstandingly Remarkable Values requires efficient, safe, and appropriate land uses, including both visitor service and administrative facilities. These facilities shall be sited in locations able to withstand high levels of visitor use. Existing and future roads shall be constructed and maintained for safety, while protecting the free flow of the river and its Outstandingly Remarkable Values.
