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This picture shows a portion of the Upper Chattooga River, where kayakers and others may soon gain access if the U.S. Forest Service decides allow boating access. Circling the issue has been debates between boaters, who want the portion of the river opened, and fishermen, who want the segment to remain closed to preserve better preserve the river's ecology.

The U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday it would like to see the upper Chattooga River opened up to limited boating and other recreational uses.

Releasing what it calls a “pre-decisional environmental assessment” of recreational uses on the upper Chattooga, the Forest Service picked a preferred alternative from among eight options.

Jerome Thomas, supervisor of the Sumter National Forest, said Alternative 4 would allow some new limited boating opportunities on portions of the upper Chattooga. He said the fourth option also takes steps to reduce resource damage from existing and future recreation uses.

“Our proposal maintains the existing high quality trout fishing experience on the Chattooga while providing some additional opportunities for challenging whitewater boating in a remote setting,” Thomas said.

The Forest Service’s recommendation takes a middle ground approach to what has been an ongoing debate between boaters who want access to the area and fishermen, hikers and campers who want to keep that remote portion of the river free of boats.

American Whitewater, a national non-profit group that promotes conservation of America’s whitewater resources and opportunities to enjoy them, has been leading the fight to end a ban on boating in the upper Chattooga. The ban applies to 21 miles above the Highway 28 bridge.

One of the arguments made by paddlers, including Jack Wise of Wildwater Ltd. in Westminster, is that there only is a small window of opportunities during the year when daily flow levels are high enough on the upper river to permit boating anyway.

Pushing just as hard to keep the ban in place is the Chattooga Conservancy, an organization formed in 1991 to “protect, promote and restore the natural ecological integrity of the Chattooga River watershed ecosystems.”

The group maintains that the Upper Chattooga is the only place left in the region outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to have a wilderness experience.

The Forest Service preferred alternative also calls for limiting overnight camping in the upper Chattooga to designated sites. The option would prohibit roadside parking within one-quarter mile of Burrells Ford bridge to relieve congestion and reduce impacts.

Forest Service officials are giving the public a 30-day window of opportunity to comment on the agency’s preferred option and accompanying environmental assessment. Comments are due Aug. 1. Comments may be e-mailed to comments-southern-francismarion-sumter@fs.fed.us or by writing to U.S. Forest Service, Chattooga River Project, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212.

A summary of all the alternatives may be seen at www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms on the Web.

The Forest Service has until the end of the year to make a definitive decision.