I can see how maybe 10-15 people walking the same beat on the river could present a slight amount of damage, but in the bow, especially below the treatment plants, it is thriving with aquatic life and a few people stepping around aren't going to change a lot.
Hit the upper highwood, sheep, oldman, elbow and have the same traffic though, and I'll agree that there could be serios consequences.
I'd just like to respond to the atv/4x4 crossing a creek part.
I see no problem in a controlled crossing as long as your vehicle/atv is in good running order, and not leaking oil/antifreeze/fuel into the waterway freely. I used to quad a lot in the mclean creek/indian graves before my step father passed a few years ago, and found a steady cross of the creek didn't stir up too much silt, none more than a horse crossing. That being said, I will agree that the idiots who enter the waterways and 'bathe' their machines in them, should be punished and I would support reporting those people.
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