Appendix B. Recreation, aesthetics, and land use report, Cache la Poudre basin study extension

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APPENDIXB

Recreation, Aesthetics, and Land Use Report

Cache la Poudre Basin Study Extension

Prepared For

Colorado Water Resources and

Power Development Authority

C

envirosphere

company

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APPENDIX B

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SUPPLEMENTAL RECREATION DATA

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B-1

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APPENDIX B

SUPPLEMENTAL RECREATION DATA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

B.l

SUMMER RIVER RECREATION SURVEY

B.2

COMMERCIAL RIVER OUTFITTERS SURVEY

B.3

DEFINITIONS AND MEASUREMENT FACTORS

B.4

NATIONAL FOREST DEVELOPED RECREATION SITES IN POUDRE CANYON

B.5

HIKING, ANGLING, AND WHITEWATER BOATING RESOURCES

B.6

RECREATION MODEL CAPACITY FACTORS

B.7

PICNIC ROCK - WATSON LAKE FLOWS

B.8

DEVELOPMENT COST ESTIMATES

2232K

B-1

B-63

B-133

B-135

B-136

B-143

B-149

B-151

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CACHE LA POUDRE RECREATION STUDY B.1

SUMMER RIVER RECREATION SURVEY RESULTS AND QUESTIONNAIRE

The primary objective of the summer river recreation survey was to better understand the influence and importance of river flows on recreational use of the lower Poudre Canyon. Of particular interest were the perceptions of (l) the suitability of various river levels to different types of recreational users and (2) the rela ti ve importance of river levels in determining user satisfaction. In addition, information was gathered which helped to describe the relative composition and patterns of use along the river.

Survey Implementation

The survey was designed by Envirosphere and its recreation consultant Outdoor Recreation Resou-rces Associates. The survey questionnaire and study design were reviewed and amended by representatives of the N9rthern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD), Colorado-Mater and Power Development Authority, Forest Service, Divisib~:~~ Parks and Outdoor Recreation (CDPOR) and Division of Wildlife in April.

The survey was conducted in cooperation with the CDPOR, which was also conducting a sea~onal survey of state park users. The survey was administered at four locations: Lower Picnic Rock, Upper Picnic Rock, along the river between Upper Picnic Rock and Greyrock trailhead, and above Poudre Park to Diamond Rock picnicground. All interviews except those above Poudre Park were conducted by CDPOR seasonal rangers. Above Poudre Park, interviews were conducted by an NCWCD employee.

The survey was begun on April 20 and river users were interviewed every other day and on holidays. This schedule allowed for an even division of survey days among all days of the week. The survey was completed on September 29, 1988, for a total of 83 days. The large number of days was necessary to insure that users were sampled on as wide a range of river flows as possible.

Surveys were conducted beginning at 8am and ending at 5pm during the early part of the season. Following a recommendation of state park rangers, later in the season the beginning time was often set back to as late as lOam so as to collect more evening surveys when use was heavier.

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During the early and later days of the survey i t was possible to contact virtually every vehicle entering Lower Picnic Rock. During the more heavily used period in June through August, the rangers were able to contact only a variable percentage of users. Because the rangers also travelled up the river to interview users along the river banks, they were not able to determine the total number of daily users in the lower canyon.

Interviews were begun with rangers approaching vehicles and asking whether anyone in the party has been recreating on the river that day. If none of the party had yet used the river, a passenger was randomly selected (with a table of random numbers) and asked to take a survey, complete i t at the end of day, and return i t to Lower Picnic Rock. If the party had used the river for recreation, a passenger was randomly selected and asked the questions. All members were eligible if they were over the age of 16.

Over the 83 days of the survey a total of 538 surveys were completed at the four sites, including 52 percent at Lower Picnic Rock, 1 percent at Upper Picnic Rock, 29 percent along the river between Upper Picnic Rock and Greyrock trailhead, and 18 percent above Poudre Park to Diamond Rock picnicground.

Survey Limitations

The results of the survey should-not be taken as statistically representative of all Poudre River users. Limitations in the ability to contact all vehicles equally as they exited the canyon as well as throughout the course of an entire year have undoubtedly introduced some bias in the results. Additionally, although more than 530 questionnaires were completed, when divided into groups by primary activity and river section, sample sizes were almost always insufficient to determine whether differences were statistically significant.

Principal Findings

The principal findings of the survey have been described in a set of tables comparing user or activity characteristics cross-tabulated by the primary sections of the river used. The tables included in this appendix are arranged by the 15 activities in the following order: 1 Camping 2 Picnicking 3 Fishing 4 Commercial rafting 5 Private rafting 6 Kayaking/canoeing 7 Swimming 8 Hiking 9 Bicycling 10 Siteseeing

11 Driving for pleasure

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12 Visiting friends

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14 Hunting

15 Other activities

Each activity has 8 cross-tabulated tables in the following order:

1 Regression of perceptions of flow levels by primary river section (statistics)

2 Regression of perceptions of flow levels by primary river section (predicted ratings)

3 Most important reason for choosing primary river section for activity by primary river section

4 User frequency of activity per year by primary river section

5 User county of residence by primary river section

6 Miles users travelled to canyon by primary river section

7 Party size by primary river section

8 Duration of stay by primary river section

Following the tables is an appendix which contains a copy of the questionnaire used and 6 tables in the following order:

1 Frequency of reported primary activity by month

2 Frequency of reported primary activity by day of week

3 Frequency of reported primary activity by primary river section

4 Frequency of reported primary activity by river flow range (Section 1)

5 Frequency of reported primary activity by river flow range (Section 2)

6 Frequency of completed surveys and river flow by survey day