The bottom line…
Alternative A is, in my opinion, without any doubt, the smart choice of "paddlers".
Alternative C is, in my opinion, without any doubt, the choice of those who view the river as nothing more than a place to use, to increase their personal income/fortune.
The people who cater to the "horse people" & all the money involved with that; horses, trailers, tack, feed, fuel, rental stalls, liquor sales, food sales, etc. They want more trails & more river crossings. Bet money on it; they have been & continue to lobby for alternative C.
Those who cater to the weekend "river dorks/drunks" & all that goes with that: canoe/kayak/raft rental, shuttle fees, liquor sales, food sales, etc. They want more accesses, and more campgrounds.Bet money on it; they have been & continue to lobby for alternative C.
Those who cater to the "jon boat jockeys" & all that goes with that: boat sales, trailers, motors, maintenance on boats & motors,parts, fuel, liquor sales, etc. They want more accesses, and they want the freedom to use higher horsepower motors. Bet money on it; they have been & continue to lobby for alternative C.
Those who cater to the travel trailers & all that goes with that: trailer sales, maintenance, fuel, food, repairs, liquor sales. They want more/larger campgrounds with electric hookup & sewage disposal available. Bet money on it; they have been & continue to lobby for alternative C.
Add to that those who want more land along the riverway opened to construction of the river Mcmansions. Real estate, builders, roofers, concrete companies, gas & electric companies, road builders, insurance agents, gravel companies, building suppliers, etc.
Those people will never quit, until they get what they want. And sooner or later; they'll get it!What do they want? More money flowing into their pockets.
The river? Screw the river! They don't give a tinker's dam about that river, and what happens to it! The river just presents opportunities for the greedy.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive at best.
BOB
P.S. Want to see what greed has done to the lower Jack's Fork River. Paddle from Eminence to where it joins the Current River at the Two Rivers access.
Check out the 2,000 plus horse barns/stalls for rent on river left, just below Emminence. As you continue downstream; check out the condition & the smell of the river. Looks & smells like a horse sewer.
Not to worry; the NPS is taking care of it; they've been "studying it" for about 15 years.
The river is polluted, but the horse business is great.