COLUSA, Calif. – California State Park and Recreation Commission (Commission) will be holding a public meeting to discuss the future of Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area.

The public is invited to participate and give their input at this meeting, which will be held next Friday, April 29, starting at 9 a.m. at Granzella’s Banquet Hall, 457 Seventh St. in Williams.

A tour will be provided to the commissioners on Thursday, April 28, beginning at 1 p.m. The public is also invited to participate.

The tour will begin in the group picnic area of the park. Transportation will not be provided. Participants must provide their own high-clearance vehicle transportation.

Tour participants may encounter mud, insects, heat or cold, snakes and other wildland challenges, so they should come prepared. So that everyone will be able to hear public testimony, official comments will be deferred until the April 29 meeting.

Improvements to the park will be presented to the commission through a general plan/final environmental impact report (EIR).

This plan will set the stage for investments that will bring recreational boaters and anglers back to Colusa, draw more visitors and improve the area’s economic vitality.

Providing additional recreational facilities will also give Colusa residents more options for engaging in healthy outdoor recreation. The plan also includes goals and guidelines to improve management of the park’s abundant natural resources.

“Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area offers a big park experience in a small park setting,” said California State Parks’ Northern Buttes District Superintendent Eddie Guaracha. “It is a gateway to outdoor adventure all along the middle reach of the Sacramento River.”

The EIR recommends, among other things, opportunities for the following recreation and interpretive activities be expanded:

– Motorized and human-powered boating;
– Wildlife watching and nature observation;
– Trail activities such as bicycling, hiking, running and orienteering;
– Safe public access to the river, including for persons with mobility challenges;
– RV and tent camping for groups and individuals, as well as overnight lodging;
– Large and small outdoor social, interpretive and cultural events for groups and families;
– Information and facilities serving regional recreation opportunities.

The EIR is currently available for review online at www.parks.ca.gov/ColusaGP .

The general plan process revealed the public’s desire for multiple activities to be accommodated in the more developed southeast area of the park.

Additional facilities proposed in the southeast area include a new boat launching facility in partnership with the city of Colusa, and outdoor event center with interpretive/educational features.

A new RV campground is proposed outside the Sacramento River floodway. Public access to the 243-acre northern area, which was acquired in 2007, is proposed to be expanded, with dispersed parking, multiple bicycle and walking trails, a canoe/kayak launch, more fishing access points, and primitive campgrounds.

The general plan process involved the public, scientists, technical experts and land managers in documenting and understanding the park’s important natural, cultural and recreational resources, existing uses and visitor needs.

Several plan alternatives were prepared and discussed at a public workshop. Then, goals and guidelines were developed for the preferred alternative that include resource preservation and land use strategies that will best serve the public in the long term.

An analysis of the potential environmental impacts of plan implementation was conducted as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and public comment was received.

Finally, the EIR, which includes responses to comments, will be presented to the California Park and Recreation Commission for review and adoption at the April 29 meeting.