Curecanti National Recreation Area: Personal Watercraft Use Enviornmental Assessment

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PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION generated by other boats, personal watercraft can enter marsh channels and create sediment suspension problems in these areas. Erosion Effects Some studies have examined the erosion effects of personal watercraft waves and other studies suggest that personal watercraft may disturb sediments on river or lake bottoms and cause turbidity. Conflicting research exists concerning whether PWC- caused waves result in erosion and sedimentation. PWC - generated wave sizes vary depending on the environment, including weight of the driver, number of passengers, and speed. Anderson (2000) studied the effect of PWC wave -wash on shallow salt marsh vegetation and found that, although the waves from personal watercraft are not different from those generated by other boats, personal watercraft can enter marsh channels and create sediment suspension problems in these areas. Health and Safety Concerns Industry representatives report that PWC accidents decreased in some states in the late 1990s. The National Transportation Safety Board reported that in 1996 personal watercraft represented 7.5% of state - registered recreational boats but accounted for 36% of recreational boating accidents. In the same year PWC operators accounted for more than 41 % of people injured in boating accidents. Personal watercraft operators accounted for approximately 85% of the persons injured in accidents studied in 1997 (NTSB 1998). Increased PWC use in recent years has resulted in more concern about the health and safety of operators, swimmers, snorkelers, divers, and other boaters. A 1998 NTSB study revealed that while recreational boating fatalities have been declining in recent years, PWC - related fatalities have increased (NTSB 1998). Nationwide PWC accident statistics provided by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) supports the increase in PWC- related fatalities (see table 2) however, since a peak of 84 PWC - related fatalities in 1997, accidents, injuries, and fatalities involving personal watercraft have decreased. The U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety studied exposure data to assess boating risks. This method allows for a comparison between boat types based on comparable time in the water. Personal watercraft use ranked second in boat type for fatalities per million hours of exposure in 1998, with a 0.24 death rate per million exposure hours. Since PWC operators can be as young as 12 in several states, accidents can involve children. The American Academy of Pediatrics (2000) recommends that no one younger than 16 operate personal watercraft. Some manufacturing changes on throttle and steering may reduce potential accidents. For example, on more recent models, Sea -Doo developed an off -power assisted steering system that helps steer during off -power as well as off - throttle situations. This system, according to company literature, is designed to provide additional maneuverability and improve the rate of deceleration (Sea -Doo 2001a). PWC USE AND REGULATION AT CURECANTI NATIONAL RECREATION AREA Volume of PWC Use Approximately I million visitors use Curecanti's facilities annually. This figure includes visitors who pursue recreation activities on the reservoir and those who engage in other recreation opportunities. 12