El Dorado County, CA — James Anderson, an experienced commercial raft guide and kayak enthusiast, who also owns riverfront property on the South Fork of the American River, has submitted a forceful comment letter to the Coloma‑Lotus Advisory Committee (CLAC) ahead of its August 7, 2025, meeting. The letter responds to proposed updates to the county’s River Management Plan (RMP) and its enforcing ordinance (County Code Chapter 5.48), currently under review by Parks and Trails.
In the letter, the writer recounts a recent incident where a commercial outfitter conducted guide training on private property—disrupting wildlife and vegetation, and violating quiet‑zone provisions—with staff ignoring repeated requests to vacate. Only after the property owner escalated to code enforcement did the Parks and Trails division respond—with a warning, and only after several weeks. No formal violations were issued, despite apparent breaches of the RMP, county code, and possibly the outfitter’s permit.
“This system places the onus on victims to pursue violations, which in my experience is a large investment of time,”
the commenter writes. They further describe firsthand experiences of widespread poor “river etiquette,” including overcrowding, unmarked and oversized pods, ignoring quiet zones, and unauthorized land use—all by commercial operators.
The letter argues the draft RMP and ordinance
“fail to adequately protect private property owners, private boaters, and other commercial operators who follow the requirements”
—and that the current approach effectively grants rights to violators while imposing burdens on law‑abiding participants. The writer also notes compliant outfitters may be placed at a competitive disadvantage if enforcement remains lax.
They call for stronger enforcement—including clearer penalties, better staffing and resources for Parks and Trails, and mechanisms that don’t rely on victim‑initiated reporting. The letter urges that without these changes, the RMP will remain a “paper tiger.”
CLAC is set to review the proposed updates at its August 7 meeting—the final public step before the county considers adoption. With summer recreation at its peak, the demands for a safer, fair, and enforceable river management system have never been more urgent.
Key Facts & Context
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Subject: A public comment letter submitted ahead of the Coloma–Lotus Advisory Committee (CLAC) meeting on August 7, 2025, concerning proposed updates to the River Management Plan (RMP) and the accompanying RMP Ordinance, codified in El Dorado County Code Chapter 5.48. El Dorado County
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Stakeholder: The commenter—an experienced commercial raft guide, private rafter/kayaker, and property owner on the South Fork of the American River—raises enforcement concerns and consequences of noncompliance by commercial outfitters.
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Timeline:
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Training incident on private property prompting enforcement.
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Code Enforcement referral to Parks and Trails, which issued only a warning after weeks of delay.
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Many repeated violations witnessed by the commenter by commercial operators.
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Primary concerns:
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Ineffective enforcement: “paper tigers” with low penalties.
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Onus placed on property owners/victims.
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Unfair competition for compliant outfitters.
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Insufficient resources for the county’s Parks and Trails department.
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