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<br />higher at each of the surveyed water elevations for Turquoise and Twin Lakes. These results <br />are generally consistent with the theory that users, when given a choice, prefer a full <br />reservoir. However, they also suggest that users may not differentiate between a full <br />reservoir and a minimal drawdown of only a few feet. <br /> <br />Finally, Figures 5.18 and 5.19 show how the percentage of respondent s rating the overall <br />recreation experience as excellent changed according to changing water levels' at Turquoise <br />and Twin Lakes. Again, there is a slight trend towards higher average scores as water levels <br />increase, but the change is generally insignificant and the overall ratings are high even at low <br />water levels. <br /> <br />Pueblo Reservoir <br /> <br />Located at the lower end of the study area, Pueblo Reservoir provides very different <br />recreation opportunities from Turquoise and Twin Lakes. Pueblo Reservoir offers a high <br />desert type setting and is used extensively for water contact activities including water skiing, <br />sail boarding, and other personal water crafts. Pueblo Reservoir is much larger than <br />Turquoise or Twin Lakes and supports much higher use levels. Survey results indicate the <br />predominate recreation activities at Pueblo Reservoir are boating (67%), fishing (42%), <br />camping (31%), and water skiing (27%). <br /> <br />Almost two thirds of the users surveyed at Pueblo Reservoir came from the Southeastern <br />. , <br />Colorado. Approximately a third came from the Front Range, and 4 percent were from out- <br />of-state. The majority ofthe users (54%) were frequent repeat users (had visited more than <br />10 times). About 20 percent of the users had been to the reservoir 2-5 times before and just <br />under 15 percent were frrst-time visitors. <br /> <br />With regard to the affect of water level on recreation, survey results indicate a clear <br />preference for higher water levels with concerns regarding safety, aesthetics, and the overall <br />. quality of the experience at low water levels. Unlike Turquoise and Twin Lakes, where the <br />majority of users indicated that water levels did not affect the quality of their experience, 70 <br />percent of the users surveyed at Pueblo Reservoir indicated that the quality of their <br />experience was affected by water level at the lowest water level conditions (4839). This <br />percentage decreased as water levels increased, but remained relatively high (>50%) for <br />most of the water levels sampled. The type and distribution of activities at the reservoir, <br />however, did not change with changing water levels. <br /> <br />The more pronounced influence of water level at Pueblo Reservoir verses Turquoise or Twin <br />lakes is partly explained by the more severe drawdown at Pueblo (60 vs. 24 and 14 at <br />Turquoise and Twin), the generally shallower nature of the reservoir shoreline, and the more <br />water'oriented, body contact recreation activities pursued at Pueblo. <br /> <br />When asked about the visual quality of the reservoir, users tended to provide higher ratings <br />at higher water levels, as shown in Figure 5.20. Overall, 63 percent of the users surveyed <br />indicated that the appearance of the lake had a somewhat to strong affect on their recreation <br />experience. <br /> <br />Arkansas River Water Needs Assessment <br />Recreation Report - Draft <br /> <br />Page 17 <br />September 20, 1996 <br />