Idaho Fish and Game and the City of McCall are planning to submit a funding proposal for a project to improve conditions at an existing access area on the North Fork Payette River in McCall.
Idaho Fish and Game partnering with City of McCall to improve access on the North Fork Payette River in McCall
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The Deinhard Lane River Access site is on approximately 0.75 acres of land owned by the City of McCall, just east of the Deinhard bridge. The site is used by anglers, non-motorized floaters, and other day-users. At present the site has a parking area, a trail to the river, and a small beach which can be used as a primitive non-motorized boat launch.
Right now there are no formal improvements at the Deinhard Lane River Access site. When the site sees use during spring and summer – parking is often haphazard and sometimes blocks access to the river along the access trail. Additionally, the site does not have a restroom or other basic improvements to support the use it currently receives. Providing these types of services – especially in high-use areas near our waterways – is a priority listed in the Valley County Waterways Management Plan.
The North Fork Payette River from Payette Lake downstream to Lake Cascade is designated as a non-motorized waterway by the Valley County Waterways Ordinance. Currently, non-motorized boating on this section of river is popular during spring for slightly larger crafts and in summer for tubing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. However, put-in/take-out accessibility is difficult particularly for the slightly larger crafts using the site in the spring, and use contributes to bank erosion.
This project aims to improve user accessibility, provide necessary services to keep the waterway healthy, and reduce resource damage occurring from current use.
The Deinhard Lane River Access Project is listed as a recommended improvement in the City of McCall’s 2023 Parks Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan. The scope of the project involves:
- Grading, surfacing, and stormwater retention
- Construction of a hardened, graded boat ramp for non-motorized watercrafts
- Creating an ADA accessible path to a landing area next to the river
- Installation of a rock barb structure just upstream of the landing and boat ramp to reduce erosion and protect the site
- Purchase and installation of a restroom services
- Delineation of traffic flow and parking
- Potential construction of a picnic shelter for day-use
Idaho Fish and Game and the City of McCall Parks and Recreation staff believe this project will greatly benefit river users and the local community. This is a step toward maintaining and enhancing amenities to ensure the provision of high-quality recreation experiences, and incorporates a strong-partnership between resource managers serving recreationists – both of which are county-wide objectives in the Valley County Waterways Management Plan
To provide any questions, comments, or concerns about this project, please contact Jordan Messner, Regional Fisheries Manager, Idaho Department of Fish and Game – McCall Regional Office at Jordan.messner@idfg.idaho.gov