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~n 1987. lake levels were high and fishing was very good as the fishery was at a mature level. Because of the quality of theflshing, the lake was used heavily by anglers. In 1993. the lake was very lovv and received much less fishing pressure. The lake was high again in 1996r but angler use was not as high as in 1987. nlost likely because the fishery was still reburlding following the severe drawdown in 1993. With a n1ajor water drawdown, fish loss (as described below) results in a reservoir with Iirnited adult fish. Even if water levels rebound the following years, it takes 2-3 years of heavy stocking and natural reproduction to provide a fishery vvith good nUJllber of larger adul t fish that are fnost attraclive to anglers. In 2001 , the lake was still at nloderately good levels and angler use increased from 1996 (but was still nluch less than 1987). Based on vvater level as the deterrnining factor, vve would estimate that the fishing recreation at John Mar'tin Reservoir in 2006 vvould be cOrllparable to the 1993 creel census data. Usinq those past known data points suqqests that anqlinq may have declined bv nearl,! 800/0 from 2001 to 2006, based on decline in \Mater' level. This percentage drop In angler use vvas independently confirmed by discussion with DOW field officers lhat routinely patrol and nlanage at the reservoir (see belovv), A 2004 report titled, The Econonlic Impacts of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife Watching in Colorado.. by BBC Research and Consulting~ Denver (aUached with email), lists the average expenditures by anglers for a fishing recreation day- Those expenditures include transportation, lodging. food, tackle, boaling cosls. The average resident spends $17.80 per day. while the average non-resident spends $141.00 per day. Assuming again that 2006 fishing year was similar to that seen in 1993, we Illav have seen anclier expenditures (and economic vaiue to the lower Arkansas Vallev) droo bv nearlv 650/0 ($192.000 to $66,500) from 2001 to 2006. Steve Keefer (DWM) has worked at John Martin since 1987. He has seen John Martin host over 100,000 people on a 3 - day weekend when the lake is full, Historically t John Martin has been more densely populated during a 3-day weekend than anywhere on the eastern plains vvith the exception of Greeley _ Steve estimated anqler use at John Martin in 2007 to be 750/0 - 800/0 lovver than in 2001 (which closely corresponds with the decline estinlated through past creel surveys)_ A creel scheduled to begin in April 2008 wIll provide sonle rllore current information_ FISH LOSS While it is impossible to estin1ate the standing crop of fish at John Martin without having conducted a depletion sanlple, studies of other Corps of Engineers wann-water lakes across the country have shown standing crop rates of 51 - 351 Ibs. of sport fish per acre. Most of these lakes were in the 52 - 116 Ibs.lacre range (I estinlate this range to be somewhat low, but it will work for demonstration purposes). The followillg chart shovvs the potential fish loss at John Martin using the 52 - 116 Ibs. per acre eslimale: TIME PERIOD AVERAGE LAKE LEVEL ESTIMATED STANDING CROP OF SPORT FISH 1995 - 2001 9000 SURFACE ACRES 468,000 ~ 1,044,000 LBS. 2001 - 2007 3000 SURFACE ACRES 1561000 - 348,000 LBS.{Avg 252,000 Ibs) 41,600 - 92,800 LBS_ (Avg 67,200 Ibs) AUG 2006 (Low Point) 800 SURFACE ACRES These nurllbers show that droppinq the lake from 3000 to 800 acres (a possible scenarlo without a firnl conservation pool) could result In an estilllated loss of about 750/0 of the sport fish in the lake.