Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
about the Colorado River Management Plan (February 2006)

1. Why is Grand Canyon National Park discontinuing the Waitlist System?

Public comments received during the planning process indicated almost universal dissatisfaction with the waitlist system. People did not want to wait 15 to 30 years on a waitlist before getting their own noncommercial trip. For more detailed information on the NPS decision to discontinue the Waitlist, please refer to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Colorado River Management Plan, Volume II, section 4.4.8.2.

2. Why did the National Park Service choose a weighted lottery system as its preferred option in the Final Environmental Impact Statement?

The hybrid weighted lottery responds to suggestions received during initial public scoping and the public review of the Draft EIS.

One key advantage of the hybrid weighted lottery is that people are no longer required to apply 15 to 30 years before getting a noncommercial river trip permit. The lottery has been designed to favor those who have been unsuccessful in obtaining a permit in recent years, and it encourages individuals to apply only for dates when they are genuinely available.

3. The current waitlist has over 7,000 people on it. Do you think more or less than 7,000 people per year will apply through the lottery?

The National Park Service believes that many people who are not on the current waitlist will apply for a river permit through the hybrid weighted lottery and that many people on the current waitlist will not. This is based on past trends in the current scheduling process where over half the people contacted chose not to schedule even though highly desirable launch dates were available. It is unclear at this time exactly how many lottery applications will be received per year, but it is assumed that it will be close to the number of applicants on the current waitlist.

4. Why not give all existing waitlist members an opportunity to schedule before moving to the lottery?

The preferred transition option gives existing waitlist members priority by providing transition options and added chances in the lottery. The NPS evaluated giving existing waitlist members exclusive priority to all dates, but the rest of the public would be denied access to private river trips for 14+ years. The wait could be even longer if the majority of people on the waitlist only want launches within a few prime-season months.

While some waitlist members will not benefit through the new system, our calculations indicate that most will. The NPS predicts that a majority of people on the current waitlist will get river permits within ten years.

5. I've been on the waitlist a long time, and my wait could drastically increase under the lottery. Would you please consider ways of ensuring the projected wait times of those that transition from the waitlist are not increased?

The National Park Service is considering ways to ensure that projected wait times of people transitioned out of the waitlist do not substantially increase as the result of the lottery. Under the hybrid weighted lottery, the park predicts that most people transitioning from the waitlist will experience total reduced wait times. However, because it is a lottery system, some people could experience increased waits and/or never obtain a permit. The park will monitor wait times and address it if needed through adaptive management.

Anyone can improve their chances of obtaining a permit through the lottery by requesting less popular launch dates (e.g., winter and shoulder seasons).

6. Do you believe demand will vary for launch dates in different seasons?

People have shown interest in obtaining a river permit in all seasons, although past trends show that launch dates in May are the most popular. The new permit system will give the park a more complete picture of demand and, therefore, enable the park to better educate interested members of the public regarding seasonal demand for noncommercial river trips.

7. When will the Transition Stage 1 begin?

Stage 1 of the transition process should begin shortly after the Record of Decision (ROD) is signed by the Regional Director. In this stage, 600 opportunities for river launches between 2007 and 2011 will be released to people on the waitlist. The process will be similar to how the park recently conducted Initial Scheduling. For example, the park will consider application from waitlist members in the order they are on the list. The NPS will try to accommodate the first waitlist member’s request, then move on to the next, continuing until almost all dates have been claimed. The rest of the unclaimed dates would be released through the existing cancellation system.

8. In Stage 2 of the transition, how can it be fair for two or more waitlist members to combine their waits and move ahead of me when they have waited less time than I have waited?

The National Park Service has strived to find equitable solutions for all users. Stage 2 of the transition was highly advocated by many private boaters as an ideal permit system. While it is not an ideal system for everyone, the park recognizes its value in helping expedite the transition. Stage 2 of the transition includes an opportunity for members of the waitlist to group together, combine their waits, and move up the waitlist. In this stage, 600 launch dates will be awarded to those who, after combining their waits, have waited the longest. The park expects that by releasing these 600 launch dates in this way, approximately 1800 members of the former waitlist will immediately benefit. This means that less former-waitlist members will transition to the lottery and those who do transition will therefore have less competition from people with increased chances.

9. I’m on the waitlist and I participated on a noncommercial river trip three years ago. In stage 2 of the transition, would I lessen the chances of a group wanting to list me as an alternate trip leader if their combined wait would be 25 years?

The three-stage expedited transition process does not involve or weigh for or against being listed or not being listed as an alternate trip leader. Being listed as an alternate trip leader is part of the hybrid weighted lottery system that would be initiated after the transition process is completed, expected to be six months or more after the Record of Decision is signed. Your group, as outlined in the question above, would have a wait factor of 25 years.

10. How can I get a river permit if I’m not currently on the waitlist?

The NPS expects to conduct the first lottery in mid-summer 2006 for launch dates in 2007. Please check this website (http://www.nps.gov/grca/crmp) for periodic updates.