Flows and Recretion: A guide to studies for river professionals

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Objectives The overall goal of the paper is to summarize ideas for improving flow - recreation research and its integration into decision - making (particularly FERC processes on regulated rivers). Specific objectives are to: • Provide a conceptual perspective that differentiates descriptive versus evaluative information. • Develop a progression of study options, with increasing resolution provided at each level, to help identify research needs in specific situations. • Review elements associated with study options, clarifying and standardizing terminology for methods or study outputs. • Review common roles and responsibilities of agencies, utilities, consultants, and stakeholders. • Identify study outputs or products needed at various stages in the progression to ensure that results can be integrated into decision - making processes. • Discuss broader challenges in integrating recreation study results with those for power and non - power resources. • Consider how study information is used to develop cost - effective and beneficial protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures (PMEs) to include in project licenses. In addressing these objectives, the primary aim is to provide a common understanding of flow - recreation study issues for both researchers and "professionals" who review that research. We include researchers, consultants, and staff from interest groups, agencies, and utilities under this label, but it also extends to interested recreation users or advocates who may become involved in flow- recreation work. In order for these professionals to work together effectively, they need to be able to "speak the same language." At the same time, we caution readers that this document does not provide all the information necessary to conduct the various study options. Quality flow - recreation studies require a range of social science and logistical skills, and experience adapting concepts and methods to specific cases. Similarly, a growing literature of technical reports may suggest examples of key study elements (e.g., question formats in a survey instrument or questionnaire), but these cannot be blindly applied. Questionnaire development is a proportionally small part of most study efforts, and the ability to tailor questions and analysis to each new case is critical. Accordingly, we have not provided example survey instruments or report findings, although these are widely available in study reports or journal articles cited in the references. Researchers interested in methodological details of various study types are urged to more closely review this literature; this document is designed for a more general audience of river professionals who might be considered the "critical consumers" of flow - recreation research. Finally, this document focuses on studies common to FERC licensing efforts, but many of these study options are relevant in other river "decision environments" such as navigability and water rights adjudications, or reviews of federal dam operations (e.g., Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation projects). In each of these cases, the common need is to understand how flow regimes affect recreation quality or use, and then integrate that information with findings from other resource areas. Similarly, resources to study these relationships are often constrained, which puts a premium on efficient and focused studies. Wading -based fishing is dramatically affected by flows because depths and velocities determine access to fishable water. Below: During a flow study on California's Pit River, anglers evaluated flows from 150 to 1,800 cfs (600 cfs shown here).