Editing Yosemite Valley (section)

=== Merced River Plan ===
In 1987, Congress designated 122 miles of the Merced as a [[Wild and Scenic River]]. Yosemite National Park contains 81 of these miles, and the valley contains eight of those miles. This designation will "...&nbsp;preserve the Merced River in free-flowing condition and to protect the water quality and the outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs) that make the river worthy of designation."<ref>{{cite web|title=Merced – Friends of the River|url=http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=merced#1|website=www.friendsoftheriver.org|access-date=2014-09-17|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140928101146/http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=merced#1|archive-date=September 28, 2014}}</ref>

In March 2014, the park system released the ''Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan/EIS ''to address the preservation of the river, safety, and to improve the visitor experience in the park. The plan will restore meadows and river bank areas and remove non-essential roads. Camping capacity will increase by 37%, and recreational services will be expanded. The plan calls for an 8% increase in parking for day use visitors to Yosemite Valley, including a new 300-car parking lot. The plan will allow the valley to accommodate a peak of 20,100 visitors per day.<ref>{{cite web|title=Merced River Final Plan and EIS – Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp_finalplan.htm |website=www.nps.gov |access-date=2014-09-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228075416/http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp_finalplan.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2014 }}</ref>

The plan has been criticized for prioritizing park visitors over the preservation of the river and the valley. Some believe there should be further limitations to the number of cars and parking lots in the valley, and more focus on public transportation.<ref>{{cite web|title = <nowiki>Yosemite National Park | National Parks Traveler</nowiki>|url = http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2014/04/opinion-yosemites-merced-wild-and-scenic-river-plan-brought-you-billionaires-and-their-politicians24986|website = www.nationalparkstraveler.com|access-date = 2014-09-17}}</ref> On busy summer days, there can be long delays and traffic gridlock at the entrance to Yosemite.<ref>{{cite web|title = CSERC: Yosemite overcrowded – Problems and Solutions|url = http://www.cserc.org/main/news/news_briefs/2012-01_Yosemite_overcrowded.html|website = www.cserc.org|access-date = 2014-09-17|archive-date = 2015-01-24|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150124035959/http://www.cserc.org/main/news/news_briefs/2012-01_Yosemite_overcrowded.html|url-status = dead}}</ref>

[[File:Yosemite Valley, 8x10 Negative, 1999.jpg|thumb|Yosemite Valley 1999]]
{{wide image|Panorama_Half_Dome.jpg|800px|Panorama of Yosemite Valley including Half Dome as seen from Glacier Point}}