The Middle Fork of the Salmon is a federally protected Wild and Scenic River. In fact it was one of the original rivers designated when the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was created in 1968. It cuts through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. The Middle Fork Ranger District (MFRD) regulates the river, which is under the direct supervision of the National Forest Service. In order to limit impact to the river ecosystem the number of people that can float the river each year is limited through a permit system. For the majority of the lottery permit season, which begins in late May and ends in early September, there are four private launches and three commercial launches allowed per day. Over the period of the permit season for 2010 there will be a total of 387 private (non-outfitted) launches and 306 outfitted (commercial) launches allowed. Campsites are assigned and this ensures that groups spread out as they travel downstream, thus limiting any feeling of the river being crowded.
By regulating the privilege to float this incredible river the impact that people have on the watershed and surrounding ecosystem is minimized. Once a trip launch is approved then there are measures that must be taken by each party to further reduce their impression on the wilderness. Four main items required are a toilet system with appropriate capacity to carry out all solid human waste, a fire pan with ash container, a food strainer that is fine enough to filter coffee grounds and, a shovel and bucket to ensure campfires are extinguished. Rangers at the launch site for the trip will check these items.
The Forest Service has also recently begun taking action on noxious weed assessment and control under the Noxious Weed Prevention Plan. The plan calls for Integrated Weed Management (IWM), which focuses on making native plan communities weed resistant. IWM pushes for prevention of introduction through education, which is the most economically viable and ecologically sound form of weed management. If you are traveling through Idaho please be sure to check your gear and clothing for noxious weeds and be sure to not carry them from one location to another.
Other non-regulatory organizations also take interest in the conservation of such an awe-inspiring place. Idaho Rivers United (IRU) works to raise awareness on river conservation issues throughout Idaho. They also work tirelessly to help salmon restoration. IRU is always looking for more people to become involved, “Our focus is the ecological integrity of our rivers, but the lens we look through is citizen involvement.” Visit them at www.idahorivers.org,
The Salmon River was named thus because of the tens of thousands of wild salmon that used to migrate from its headwaters to the ocean every year. In the past 50 years the populations of these wild fish has plummeted largely due to dams built on the Snake and Columbia rivers downstream. There are several organizations such as Idaho Rivers United and Save Our Salmon, working hard to protect the few remaining salmon as well as force compliance with the Endangered Species Act. This important federal legislation was passed in 1973 and signed into law by President Nixon. The most significant violator of the Act as it relates to salmon recovery is, ironically, the federal government. Thus far it has refused to address the fact that several species of Snake and Salmon River salmon have already gone extinct and if action is not taken soon, the remaining few will be extinct in a short time.