The U.S. Forest Service has finally weighed in on the debate over whether paddling should be allowed on the Upper Chattooga River, which tumbles off the Cashiers Plateau.

The solution posed by the forest service is a compromise, allowing a smidgeon of paddling during winter months on days when river water levels are quite high and only on a portion of the section of river in question and in limited numbers.

A longstanding ban on paddling on the upper stretch of river was challenged by American Whitewater three years ago, prompting a forest service study of the issue over the past two years. The study examined the impacts paddling might have on the Chattooga, from an environmental standpoint to other forms of recreation.

The forest service has released the study along with a preliminary decision. A final decision won’t come for many months, following a round of public comment.

Paddlers are not happy with the concession that allows for such limited paddling. But environmentalists and hikers aren’t pleased about paddlers making in-roads on the river, particularly through the pristine Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area. The compromise protects fishermen, however, who use the river less in the winter and when water levels are too high.