Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Preliminary Report of the <br />Bureau of Outdoor Recreation on the <br />Pacific Southwest Water Plan <br /> <br /> <br />Oil233'9 <br /> <br />The construction of major reservoirs of the proposed Lower <br /> <br />Colorado River Project would create areas that would have a <br /> <br />considerable potential for water-oriented and associated recrea- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />tion, in addition to hunting and fishing, which are discussed <br /> <br />separately in conjunction with fish and wildlife benefits. <br /> <br />These reservoirs would attract two major types of recreation use: <br /> <br />(.l)'daily and weekend use emanating from the Phoenix and Tucson <br /> <br />urban complex that would bear on the major reservoirs in that <br /> <br />locality, and (2) extended weekend and vacation use by visitors <br /> <br />who would be primarily attracted to the large reservoirs in the <br /> <br />upstream portion of the Lower Basin. <br /> <br />Significant outdoor recreation opportunities would be created <br /> <br />by the reservoirs in the Gila drainage and the Dixie project. <br /> <br />The other reservoirs would provide some recreation also, although <br /> <br />they would have adverse effects on the present types of river <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />recreation and o.n important intangible conservation and recreation <br /> <br />values. <br /> <br />Recreation Demands in the Phoenix-Tucson Area <br /> <br />More than 75 percent of Arizona's population is concentrated <br /> <br />in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal Counties, wlthin easy driving distance <br /> <br />of the four proposed reservoirs in the Gila drainage. The pop- <br /> <br />ulation of these three counties is expected to increase to more <br />