Lower Yosemite Fall Project - Executive Summary

Yosemite National Park - National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior

Executive Summary
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Introduction

At nearly half a mile in height (2,425 feet), Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America and the fifth highest in the world. Emerging from the upper reaches of Yosemite Creek, which begins on a slope of Mt. Hoffmann some 10 miles from Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls makes three distinct plunges before reaching the floor of Yosemite Valley: the 1,430-foot Upper Yosemite Fall, an intermediate 675-foot chain of cascades and the 320-foot Lower Yosemite Fall.

Today, the Lower Yosemite Fall area is the most highly visited natural feature in Yosemite National Park. During the summer, long lines form at the restroom, and cars, shuttle buses, pedestrians, bicyclists, and tour buses mix in confusing congestion. Undersized and degraded trails have led to damage of the surrounding forest floor and streamside.

Rehabilitation of the Lower Yosemite Fall area has been a priority of the National Park Service for nearly 10 years, beginning with a workshop held in 1992. Three years later, the National Park Service and The Yosemite Fund, the primary nonprofit fundraising organization for Yosemite National Park, agreed to work jointly on a proposed rehabilitation of the area. Planning for the rehabilitation started in 1997.

Other individual planning efforts, including plans for housing, restoration of areas to natural conditions, transportation, and visitor services, took on even greater urgency following the January 1997 flood in the park. Through both extensive public comment and litigation, questions were raised about the appropriateness of pursuing separate, yet connected planning efforts in Yosemite Valley. As a result, the National Park Service combined four distinct planning projects (including the Lower Yosemite Fall Project) together into one comprehensive planning effort for Yosemite Valley—the Yosemite Valley Plan.

Purpose and Need

The purpose of the Lower Yosemite Fall Project is to implement the actions called for in the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) (referred to hereafter as the Yosemite Valley Plan¹) for the Lower Yosemite Fall area. Actions called for in the Yosemite Valley Plan were guided by the goals of the 1980 General Management Plan and the 2001 Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (Merced River Plan). The specific purposes of the Yosemite Valley Plan (see Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS, Volume Ia, Chapter 1, page 1-5) within Yosemite Valley are to:

Restore, protect, and enhance the resources of Yosemite Valley
Provide opportunities for high-quality, resource-based visitor experiences
Reduce traffic congestion
Provide effective park operations, including employee housing, to meet the mission of the National Park Service

To implement the purposes listed above, the objectives of the Lower Yosemite Fall Project are as follows:

Restore the area to a more natural state with the removal of the existing parking area and the relocation of the restroom and cars and tour buses from viewing areas and departure points. The visitor would see an environment that is more natural. A more dynamic creek system would be achieved by relocating bridge abutments to upland areas, thereby allowing Yosemite Creek to migrate more freely.
Enhance visitor experience by providing educational interpretive exhibits and better seating areas. Themes related to Yosemite American Indian culture, early pioneers and the birth of the conservation movement, and natural history would be presented in wayside exhibits. Visitors would be able to linger at seating areas where they could sit, listen, and experience not only Yosemite Falls but also the adjacent forest and views.
Improve trails and bridges to better facilitate visitor circulation and access. The overall area, including the base of Lower Yosemite Fall, would be more accessible to people with mobility impairments.
Improve cultural resource areas by reducing human impacts on archeological sites and resource gathering areas.
Improve the visitor experience and protect natural resources by constructing an adequate restroom and adequate site furnishings such as an informal seating area and picnic area, bicycle racks, and drinking fountain. The new restroom would also reduce the current environmental and sanitation problems in the area.
Increase resource protection by more clearly defining visitor trails, thereby minimizing damage to the forest floor and streams from persons traveling off trails.

The purpose of this environmental assessment is to analyze site-specific impacts that would result from the Lower Yosemite Fall Project, including actions that have changed slightly from actions called for in the Yosemite Valley Plan. These slight changes were identified during the development of site designs for the Lower Yosemite Fall Project subsequent to completion of the Yosemite Valley Plan.

The need for an environmental assessment of this project is in direct response to the tiering requirements of the Yosemite Valley Plan, which was published in November 2000. On December 29, 2000, the Yosemite Valley Plan Record of Decision was signed adopting the preferred alternative of the Yosemite Valley Plan. Preliminary site design concepts prepared for the Lower Yosemite Fall Project need to be evaluated as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) if any of the following four criteria are met:

Actions would benefit from further site-specific environmental compliance.
Proposed actions extend beyond the area identified and analyzed in the Yosemite Valley Plan.
Proposed actions involve an appreciable change in function and capacity from that discussed in the Yosemite Valley Plan.
Previously unknown resources are discovered (e.g., an archeological site or any special-status plant or animal species) during the design phase.

Relationship to Other Plans

The 1980 General Management Plan is the overall guiding document for planning in Yosemite National Park. The General Management Plan, Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (Merced River Plan), and Yosemite Valley Plan are the guiding documents for the Lower Yosemite Fall Project, portions of which are located within the Wild and Scenic River boundaries of the Merced River.

In designating the Merced as a Wild and Scenic River, Congress authorized the National Park Service to prepare its management plan for the river by making appropriate revisions to the park’s 1980 General Management Plan (16 USC 1274[a][62]). The Merced River Plan, which is a programmatic plan that derives its authority from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, made certain revisions to the General Management Plan to further the protection of the Merced River. The Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS implements many of the Yosemite Valley provisions found in the 1980 General Management Plan and modifies other provisions due to new and more current information. Actions proposed by this project are consistent with guidance set forth by the General Management Plan, the Merced River Plan, and the Yosemite Valley Plan.

Overview of the Alternatives and Environmental Assessment

The Lower Yosemite Fall Project Environmental Assessment presents and analyzes three alternatives. The National Park Service has identified Alternative 2 as the preferred alternative. The alternatives are described briefly below and in detail in Chapter 2, Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives, of this environmental assessment.

Alternative 1 – No Action

Under Alternative 1, the existing conditions and management practices as they currently exist in the Lower Yosemite Fall area would remain. Under Alternative 1, the current restroom, bridges, trails, and parking area at the Lower Yosemite Fall area would be maintained. Alternative 1 provides a baseline from which to compare the action alternatives (Alternatives 2 and 3), evaluate the magnitude of proposed changes, and measure potential environmental effects of those changes.

Alternative 1 would involve the following actions for the Lower Yosemite Fall area:

The restroom would remain in its current location and general condition. Currently, it does not contain sufficient fixtures, nor does it meet federal accessibility standards.
The existing parking area would remain. The Lower Yosemite Fall area would continue to lack sufficient seating and picnic facilities.
The shuttle bus stop would remain in its current location.
Tour buses would continue to park at the existing parking area.
The eastern trail north of Bridge #1 would be located near a cultural resource (the millrace feature within the Hutchings sawmill archeological site).
Trails would remain in their existing locations with existing routine maintenance. Stock (e.g., horse) users would share trails with hikers through the Lower Yosemite Fall Area.
Bridges would remain in their current location, alignment, and condition. Bridge #6, which is currently collapsed, would be rebuilt, as would the trails leading to Bridge #6.
Vegetation obscuring identified view corridors would not be removed.
The human-built rock-rubble pile would remain.
Degradation of both archeological and ethnographic resource sites from human trampling would continue.

Alternative 2 – Preferred

Alternative 2 would implement actions approved in the Yosemite Valley Plan for the Lower Yosemite Valley area, including those with slight changes. The actions which represent slight changes from the Yosemite Valley Plan are as follows:

Restroom Relocation. The restroom north of the existing parking area would be removed, and a new restroom would be constructed near what is currently the southeastern edge of the parking lot. The change of location would minimize impacts to an ethnographic resource, keep the restroom out of Yosemite Falls view corridors, and be adjacent to the proposed seating/picnic area. The new restroom would be adequately sized for the expected volume of visitors and would be designed to be accessible to persons with mobility impairments.

Parking Area Removal and Establishment of a Small Seating and Picnic Area. The existing parking area would be removed. Trails would be built to access the western trail to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall, and a small picnic area and an informal seating area with benches, logs, or stones for seating would be created.

New Shuttle Bus Stop. A new shuttle bus stop would be located on the north side of Northside Drive east of the Yosemite Creek Bridge.

Interim Tour Bus Unloading, Loading, and Parking. To address relocation of the tour bus parking area from the Lower Yosemite Fall area, replacement parking spaces would be provided on an interim basis for day tour buses that currently park in this area. Tour buses would unload and load passengers along Northside Drive near Cook’s Meadow using the existing turnout west of Village Drive. Until day tour bus parking can be provided elsewhere, as called for in the Yosemite Valley Plan, day tour buses would park in an existing lane of Northside Drive, extending west of Camp 4. Interim parking for the few overnight tour buses would be provided in existing parking areas associated with lodging facilities in Yosemite Valley.

Trail Alignment, Including Relocation of the Eastern Trail Near Bridge #1. Elevated boardwalks and realigned trails would be placed between Bridges #1 and #2 and northwest of Bridge #1. These actions would minimize impacts to stream hydrology and the millrace feature within Hutchings sawmill site because boardwalks would be placed above the ground. Trail alignments between Bridge #6 and the Hutchings view corridor would be designed to minimize impacts to ethnographic resources.

Rehabilitation of Trails. Pedestrian access to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall would be on either a rehabilitated western trail (the existing main access) or a better-defined and hardened eastern trail. Access to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall for visitors with mobility impairments would be via the redesigned and hardened eastern trail. Interpretive exhibits and seating would be added to both the western and eastern trails. Stock (e.g., horse) use on trails would be managed as described in the Yosemite Valley Plan (see Vol. IA, page 2-65).

Rehabilitation, Relocation, and Installation of Bridges. Five of the existing historic bridges along the eastern trail would be rehabilitated to allow wheelchair access throughout the area. Bridge #1 would be relocated to provide a better approach to a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk that would pass over the millrace feature within the historic Hutchings sawmill site. Bridge #2 would be rehabilitated as a boardwalk to allow creek hydrology to be restored to a more natural condition. Bridge #3 would be rehabilitated to maintain access to the Muir plaque and Clark bench. Bridge #4 would be removed. Bridges #5 and #6 (closest to the shuttle bus stop) would be rehabilitated to help separate bicyclists from pedestrians, reduce congestion, and improve circulation. A new bridge (Bridge #7) would be constructed to replace a bridge formerly located east of Bridge #3 and complete a loop trail system. Yosemite Falls Bridge, the historic bridge across Yosemite Creek at the base of Lower Yosemite Fall, would be rehabilitated and the viewing platform enlarged.

The abutments for rehabilitated bridges would be moved out of the creek channels and located farther up on the banks. One new pier to support a longer span would be placed in the channel at Bridge #3, and two new piers would be placed in the channel at Bridge #6 to support a longer span. Though a small portion of the channel would be blocked by new bridge piers, a larger portion of the channel would be opened and its hydrology would be restored as a result of removal of bridge abutments from the channel. The two piers at the Yosemite Falls Bridge would remain in the same location.

View Corridor Maintenance. Two historic view corridors through the Lower Yosemite Fall area (Western Trail and Hutchings view corridors) would be maintained by selective trimming of brush and branches and selective cutting and removal of trees and vegetation within these view corridors. Removal of trees and vegetation to maintain the view corridors would be preceded by site-specific reconnaissance for cultural resources and natural resources, such as wetland vegetation, bat roost sites, and bird nest sites, so that there would be no potential impact to those resources.

Removal of Human-Built Rock-Rubble Pile. Removal of the rock-rubble pile downstream from the historic Yosemite Falls Bridge would be preceded by studies, thereby ensuring that this action would meet resource objectives while protecting public health and safety.

Alternative 3 – As Evaluated in the Yosemite Valley Plan

Alternative 3 would involve the same actions described above for Alternative 2, but without change from the Yosemite Valley Plan. The Alternative 3 actions are described below.

Restroom Relocation. The restroom north of the existing parking area would be removed and a new restroom would be constructed east of Yosemite Creek and north of Northside Drive, adjacent to the future Lower Yosemite Fall shuttle bus stop.

Parking Area Removal and Establishment of an Informal Seating Area. The existing parking area would be removed, and a portion of the area would be replaced with an informal seating area. The remainder of the area would be restored with locally native vegetation.

New Shuttle Bus Stop. A new shuttle bus stop would be located on the north side of Northside Drive east of the Yosemite Creek Bridge.

Interim Tour Bus Unloading, Loading, and Parking. To address relocation of the tour bus parking area from the Lower Yosemite Fall area, replacement parking spaces would be provided on an interim basis for day tour buses that currently park in this area. Tour buses would unload and load passengers along Northside Drive near Cook’s Meadow using the existing turnout west of Village Drive. Until day tour bus parking can be provided elsewhere, as called for in the Yosemite Valley Plan, day tour buses would park in an existing lane of Northside Drive, extending west of Camp 4. Interim parking for the few overnight tour buses would be provided in existing parking areas associated with nearby lodging facilities in Yosemite Valley.

Trail Alignment, Including Relocation of the Eastern Trail Near Bridge #1. Trail alignment actions would be the same as for Alternative 2. The trail between Bridges #1 and #2 would be rehabilitated, and the trail northwest of Bridge #1 would be relocated to provide wheelchair accessibility to the area. The trail northwest of Bridge #1 would be placed on the millrace feature within the Hutchings sawmill site.

Rehabilitation of Trails. Pedestrian access to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall would be on either a rehabilitated western trail (the existing main access) or a better-defined and hardened eastern trail. Access to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall for visitors with mobility impairments would be via the redesigned and hardened eastern trail. Interpretive exhibits and seating would be added to both the western and eastern trails. Stock (e.g., horse) use on trails would be managed as described in the Yosemite Valley Plan (see Vol. IA, page 2-65).

Rehabilitation, Relocation, and Installation of Bridges. Five of the existing historic bridges along the eastern trail would be rehabilitated to allow wheelchair access throughout the area. Bridge #1 would be relocated and an accessible trail would pass through the millrace feature within the historic Hutchings sawmill site. Bridge #2 would be rehabilitated. Bridge #3 would be rehabilitated to maintain access to the Muir plaque and Clark bench. Bridge #4 would be removed. Bridges #5 and #6 (closest to the shuttle bus stop) would be rehabilitated to help separate bicyclists from pedestrians, reduce congestion, and improve circulation. A new bridge (Bridge #7) would be constructed to replace a bridge formerly located east of Bridge #3 and complete a loop trail system. Yosemite Falls Bridge, the historic bridge across Yosemite Creek at the base of Lower Yosemite Fall, would be rehabilitated and the viewing platform enlarged.

The abutments for rehabilitated bridges would be moved out of the creek channels and located farther up on the banks. One new pier would be placed in the channel at Bridge #3, and two new piers would be placed in the channel at Bridge #6. Though a small portion of the channel would be blocked by new bridge piers, a larger portion of the channel would be enlarged and its hydrology would be restored as a result of removal of bridge abutments from the channel. The two piers at the Yosemite Falls Bridge would remain in the same location.

View Corridor Maintenance. Two historic view corridors through the Lower Yosemite Fall area (Western Trail and Hutchings view corridors) would be maintained by selective trimming of brush and branches and selective cutting and removal of trees and vegetation within these view corridors. Removal of trees and vegetation to maintain the view corridors would be preceded by site-specific reconnaissance for cultural resources and natural resources, such as wetland vegetation, bat roost sites, and bird nest sites, so that there would be no potential impact to those resources.

Removal of Human-Built Rock-Rubble Pile. The rock-rubble pile would be removed without further study, based on the information presented in the Yosemite Valley Plan

Environmental Consequences of Each Alternative and the Environmentally Preferable Alternative

The Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Park Service NEPA guidelines require that "the alternative or alternatives which were considered to be environmentally preferable" be identified (Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, Section 1505.2). Environmentally preferable is defined as "the alternative that will promote the national environmental policy as expressed in Section 101 of NEPA. Ordinarily, this means the alternative that causes the least damage to the biological and physical environment; it also means the alternative that best protects, preserves, and enhances historic, cultural, and natural resources" (Council on Environmental Quality 1981).

Section 101 of the NEPA states that "… it is the continuing responsibility of the Federal Government to … (1) fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the environment for succeeding generations; (2) assure for all Americans safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings; (3) attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation, risk to health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences; (4) preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage, and maintain, wherever possible, an environment which supports diversity, and variety of individual choice; (5) achieve a balance between population and resource use which will permit high standards of living and a wide sharing of life’s amenities; and (6) enhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources." The environmentally preferable alternative for the Lower Yosemite Fall Project Environmental Assessment is based on these national environmental policy goals.

Alternative 1 – No Action

Alternative 1 represents conditions and management practices as they currently exist or as they existed in the recent past for the Lower Yosemite Fall area. The provision of productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings (provision 2 of the national environmental policy goals) would be adversely affected by the location of the existing restroom facility, which encroaches upon an identified view corridor. Alternative 1 would not fulfill provision 3 of the national environmental policy goals because it would route visitors on ill-defined trails in the vicinity of sensitive cultural resources. In addition, Alternative 1 would present risks to public health and safety (provision 3) because the existing restroom is undersized and not in conformance with federal accessibility standards.

Alternative 2 – Preferred

Alternative 2 would relocate the restroom to a less environmentally sensitive area outside of any view corridor and close by the proposed new shuttle bus stop. The application of mitigation measures described in Chapter 2, Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives, would further reduce the potential adverse impacts. The provision of aesthetically pleasing surroundings (provision 2 of the national environmental policy goals) would be improved because of the maintenance and enhancement of view corridors towards Yosemite Falls, as well as revegetation and the replacement of the existing parking area with a seating area and picnic area. Alternative 2 would fulfill provision 3 of the national environmental policy goals by reducing risks to public health and safety through the rehabilitation of existing bridges and better definition of trails (to minimize foot traffic in sensitive cultural resources and wetlands habitat). Alternative 2 would preserve natural and cultural resources as required under provision 4 of the national environmental policy goals. This alternative would implement measures to reduce adverse effects related to demolition and construction activities (for example, Best Management Practices).

Alternative 3 – As Evaluated in the Yosemite Valley Plan

From an environmental perspective, Alternative 3 differs from Alternative 2 primarily through the location of the restroom within an identified ethnographic resource area and the location of a trail through the millrace feature within the Hutchings sawmill site. Therefore, Alternative 3 would be less sensitive than Alternative 2 to provisions (2), (3), and (4) of Section 101 of NEPA, as stated above.

Environmentally Preferable Alternative

The environmentally preferable alternative is Alternative 2 because, of the alternatives considered in detail, it would most fully satisfy the national environmental policy goals, as stated in Section 101 of NEPA. Alternative 2 would (1) provide a high level of protection of natural and cultural resources while concurrently attaining the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation; (2) reduce risks to public health and safety; and (3) provide an aesthetically pleasing surrounding.

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¹ As approved by the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS Record of Decision and as presented and analyzed in the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS, Alternative 2.

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