Lake Roosevelt Administrative History

Attempts to Gain Control of Special Park Uses, 1960s and 1970s

The somewhat lax approach to special use permits and leases at LARO began to change in the 1960s, followed by increasing restrictions in subsequent decades. After an extensive comment period, the Department of the Interior adopted new regulations in 1966 governing cabins on federal lands. Under the new rules, federal agencies could not cancel leases prior to the termination date. They could, however, renew such leases if this appeared to be in the public interest. [38]

Passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 led to a dramatic increase in cabin lease fees at LARO. Under the new requirements, fees for private uses of public lands had to be based on current market value and determined using competitive commercial practices. LARO's $35 annual fee obviously did not meet these standards, so the park staff worked with the Stevens County assessor to arrive at an appraisal of $7500 per lot. Using a 6 percent rate of return, the staff then determined the new fee to be $450 per year, effective May 1977. They realized the hardship of such a large increase, however, and phased it in over a three-year period. Thus, the first year cost $150, the second $300, and the third full price. The Park Service agreed to renew leases for five-year periods, but with the entire lease program under review, the agency cautioned lessees not to expect lease extensions to continue indefinitely. Lessee reaction to the increased fees was not documented. [39]

Map showing uses of lands along Lake Roosevelt, 1968. (U.S. Department of the Interior, "Master Plan of the Coulee Dam National Recreation Area," 1968: 17.) (click on image for an enlargement in a new window)

Under the Tri-Party Agreement of 1946, leases and special use permits for reservation lands were administered by two different agencies: OIA (later the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA) was in charge of all agricultural, grazing, and log dump permits, while the Park Service administered all other uses. This began to change with the Solicitor's Opinion in 1974 that directed the three agencies to negotiate a new management agreement to include both the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) and Spokane Tribe of Indians (STI). Initial negotiations produced no results, so the three agencies met in March 1977 to determine jurisdiction for special use permits for freeboard lands in the Indian Zones. They agreed that BIA would continue with its previous responsibilities, but Reclamation took over all other Indian Zone permits from the Park Service. The Bureau and Park Service then drew up another agreement giving the Park Service administration of all permits outside the Indian Zones. [40]

By the early 1970s, LARO staff realized the need to get control of special use permits and, even more importantly, associated encroachments. Previous administrations had tried to correct the difficult situation. In 1957, for instance, the superintendent reported that, with 172 permits, his staff had spent considerable time that year locating boundaries for citizens who questioned lines. Superintendent Homer Robinson knew that marking the boundary would help but recognized the futility of such a proposition given the total project cost of nearly $1 million. The park staff made progress in 1972 inventorying permits and checking status and transgressions, but they soon realized the need for a Land Management Specialist to work at this full-time. [41]

Daniel J. Farrell arrived in June 1974 to fill this new position. He found approximately three hundred permits, many of which had not been adjusted since the 1940s. Kettle Falls District Ranger Don Carney gave Farrell his views of the situation that summer. "We are facing an immediate problem which could run completely out of control over the near term: that of people using government lands as if they owned them privately," he warned. He traced the source to adjacent owners and developers rather than visitors. He suggested that press releases discussing the problem and potential consequences would help, along with publicity surrounding a few notable citations. Some areas might need fencing, while others might have to be closed to grazing. Another improvement, in Carney's view, would be the simplification of the dock permitting process. All in all, "the quality of the water experience people have here will depend increasingly on how we manage our lands." [42] LARO adopted a new fee schedule in July 1977. Farrell managed to reduce the permits to 182 by combining several on a single permit, and revenues increased from $8,600 in 1976 to $10,500 a year later. He continued to work on the issue until he left the park in 1982. [43]