Instream Flows for Recreation: A Handbook on Concepts and Research Methods

• Description: Instream Flows for Recreation: A Handbook on Concepts and Research Methods
• Date: 1/1/1993
• Author: Whittaker, Doug; Shelby, Bo; Jackson, William; Beschta, Robert - National Park Service
• Title: Instream Flows for Recreation: A Handbook on Concepts and Research Methods
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

to examine these differences, it will have to
begin with far more information about recreation
experiences than the activity alone.
One useful way to define recreation
experiences in more specific terms is to discuss
them in light of "recreation attributes." A
recreation opportunity is not some abstract
concept, but a collection of measurable
conditions that can be evaluated relative to
various standards. A high quality experience is
a trip where certain desirable conditions exist; a
low quality trip is one where those conditions
are lacking.
Table 1 provides a list of experiences we
have examined in various studies of rivers in
Alaska and Colorado. The list helps suggest
the level of specificity needed in this step. Note
the specific descriptions used to name different
experiences; the type of activity is simply the
starting point. For each experience, a list of
attributes should also be developed to expand
upon the descriptive name. Table 2 contains a
list of flow - related recreation attributes (a sub -set
of all attributes) from those same studies. Not
intended as an exhaustive list, these examples
are provided to suggest the range of possibili-
ties. Once again, the level of specificity is
critical. Ultimately, a researcher will be
examining and evaluating flow needs for each of
these attributes.
Developing recreation attributes can be a
difficult task. Although most researchers and
managers have little trouble making an initial
list for a given type of recreation, some form of
public input will ultimately be needed for
verification. Users are experts about their trips
and the things that make or break them, and
research has shown that professionals do not
always know which conditions users prefer.
There are a variety of methods that may be used
to better understand users' trips and the
conditions that determine their quality. A
discussion of those techniques is presented in
Chapter 5, Evaluating Flows or Conditions.
Table 1. Some examples of recreation experiences used in flow - recreation studies. There may be more than one
experience for a given activity or river segment and the flow needs for different experiences may be different.
River
Examples of "Experiences"
Little Susitna River, Alaska
Extremely challenging whitewater kayaking (Class V -VI)
Challenging whitewater kayaking (Class III -IV)
Jetboating / inboard powerboating
Powerboating (smaller engines)
Driftboat fishing
Bank fishing
Hiking along upper river
Lake Creek, Alaska
Whitewater rafting /kayaking
Wilderness floating
Drift fishing on lower river
Dolores River, Colorado
Challenging whitewater rafting /kayaking
"Scenic" rafting /kayaking
Technical whitewater canoeing
"Scenic" canoeing
"Canoe- hiking"
11