WSPC12559 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

OD1J47 other words, they will choose to spend more or less of their time, energy, and income on this activity depending upon streamflow level. Many variables may help to explain user shifts among streams and among recreational activities in response to streamflow changes. Three such explanatory variables which are both easy to specify and causally important are streamflow level at the recreation site, density of recrea- tional usage (crowding) at the site, and travel. distance from home to recreation site. The first two of these variables affect the satisfac- tion which the recreational experiences produce and the third affects the costs involved to the recreationist. The Model These three variables are incorporated in a water-based recreational impact simulation model (COWRISM) developed for the Colorado Water Study. This model permits estimation of changes in levels of three recreational activities which are likely to occur in response to changes in stream- flow. For policy analysis purposes, COWRISM can be used to estimate the potential consequences of single or multiple reservoir construction and/or operation, as well as any other man-caused or natural change in stream- flows. It is presently specified only for Colorado, but it could easily be adapted for use elsewhere if the necessary empirical data were available. COWRISM r~cognizes eight regions within the state. They are de- fined hydrologically, and mean interregional travel distances are in- cluded in the data bank. The model recognizes eight stream classes, de- fined on the basis of stream width and elevation range (a surrogate for such variables as water temperature, stream gradient, and adjacent ter- restrial ecotype). It recognizes three stream sub-classes within each 3