Abstract

River recreation is rapidly increasing and attracts users locally and from diverse regions of the United States and the world.  Rivers offer a unique setting for managers that often transcend jurisdictional and political boundaries and are used locally by communities as well as they are used by tourists and outfitters. The nexus of balancing public and private use with balancing on-river and on-shore experiences creates many challenges when monitoring use to inform management decisions. Using an example of monitoring the three forks of the Flathead River System in Montana, this chapter discusses the diverse tools to monitor use on and off the river. The chapter explores analysis and interpretation of data to inform river management and offers recommendations for river monitoring to support resilience thinking when managing a complex social-ecological river system.