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Waterways advisory committee seeks steady funding for river ambassadors and campground host; county told fee program still pending
Summary
The Teton County Waterways Advisory Committee asked Feb. 25 that two pilot programs'a river ambassador program and a Rainy River (Big Eddy) campground host'be continued in 2025 while the committee works to recommend sustainable funding choices.
The Teton County Waterways Advisory Committee asked the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 25 to continue two summer pilot programs in 2025: a river ambassador program and a campground-host at the Rainy River access ("Big Eddy"). The committee told the board those programs provide education to recreation users and basic on-site management of camping and litter, and said its top spring priority is recommending a funding structure to sustain the programs beyond initial county support.
Committee members said the county's Waterways Recreation Ordinance originally envisioned a fee system to underwrite river-management work, but that fee collection systems are not yet in place. Committee chair said short-term options under consideration include donation mechanisms (QR codes), continuing use of $1 annual stickers and exploring mandatory fees with an enforcement plan and a way to collect at locations with multiple land owners.
"Our goal was to move into a fee collection system," the committee said. It also told commissioners a river management plan is on the committee's summer agenda and would provide the strategic framework to assign different management tools and fees to river segments.
Why it matters: Teton Valley attracts tens of thousands of river users each year. Committee members argued that visitors, shuttle operators and other high-use groups place most of the recreation pressure on waterways and that a funding system that shifts some cost to nonresident user groups would reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Board reaction: Commissioners expressed interest in alternatives to general-fund coverage for the programs and asked the committee to return with specific, legally vetted funding options. Committee members said they will continue pilot operations for 2025 and prepare a river management plan and financial recommendations for the FY26 budget cycle.
Ending: The committee requested county support to keep the river ambassador and campground-host pilot programs running in 2025 while it develops fee, donation and grant options for long-term funding.
