Recreation Needs Analysis (RSP 13)
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Recreation Needs Analysis (RSP 13) Henry M. Jackson Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 2157 October 2008 Prepared for: Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County Everett, WA Prepared by: EDAW, Inc Seattle, WA Jackson Hydroelectric Project Executive Summary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) guidelines identify the requirement to prepare a Recreation Needs Analysis as part of a hydroelectric project license application. The Henry M. Jackson Hydroelectric Project (Project)(FERC Project No. 2157) Recreation Needs Analysis (RSP 13) informs stakeholders, as well as the Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County (District) and City of Everett (City), by synthesizing recreation- and public use-related information collected during relicensing. The Recreation Needs Analysis also defines recreation needs that may be considered for implementation during a new license term; however, the results should not be interpreted as potential protection, mitigation, and enhancement (PM&E) measures. The Recreation Needs Analysis results will be considered along with the results of other relicensing studies to develop potential PM&E measures that take into account all resource needs, not only recreation and public access. The Recreation Needs Analysis consists of four primary components: Supply, Demand, Capacity, and Needs (including a non-motorized trail assessment). Pertinent summary results from each of these components include the following: Recreation Supply Analysis • District Recreation Opportunities – The existing supply of District-managed developed recreation sites in the Project area (definitions of the Project boundary, Project, and study area are provided in Section 2.1) offer multiple recreation opportunities, including flat-water boating (on Spada Lake), fishing, picnicking, sightseeing, resting and relaxing, walking and hiking (within recreation sites and along Project roads), mountain biking (along Project roads), whitewater boating (on the Sultan River), and photography and wildlife observation, among others. • Study Area Recreation Opportunities – In the larger study area, there are numerous other recreation opportunities on lands managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS), including hiking, camping, hunting, and rock climbing, among others. • Regional Recreation Opportunities – The areas in and around Snohomish and King Counties (considered the Project region) are rich in recreation opportunities. Some of these opportunities are similar to those available in the study area, while others are different. Of particular importance to ongoing and future recreation management in the Project area, the region provides a diversity of recreation opportunities, some of which are available and appropriate in the Project area. • Recreation Responsibilities – The District is one of many recreation providers in the region. As such, it is not the District’s sole responsibility to provide all types of recreation opportunities. Instead, the Project area provides a range of appropriate recreation opportunities, given Project constraints (e.g., water quality protection, operations, etc.) and location. Recreation Needs Analysis (RSP 13) Page i October 2008 Jackson Hydroelectric Project • Study Area Use Factors – The study area’s proximity to major population centers, as well as the beautiful/distinctive setting (mid-elevation forests surrounding the reservoir; a rustic forested river canyon) and low levels of use likely help attract visitors to the area. Conversely, water quality-related regulations and restrictions limit recreation use levels. Recreation Demand Analysis • Existing Study Area Use Estimates – Existing study area recreation use is estimated at approximately 8,500 recreation days per year (based on 2-year Recreation Visitor Survey [RVS]-related data collection period). At Spada Lake, use tends to be highest during the summer months (June-August), while use tends to be more evenly distributed throughout the year along the Sultan River and at Lost Lake. • Primary Activities in the Study Area – At Spada Lake (recreation sites accessed via Olney Pass, including DNR’s two trails), sightseeing (average of 1,449 annual recreation days [RD] during 2-year RVS data collection period or approximately 22 percent of annual use at Spada Lake) and hiking (average of 1,603 annual RD during 2-year RVS data collection period or approximately 25 percent of annual use at Spada Lake) accounted for the highest participation estimates, while fishing (average of 500 annual RD during 2-year RVS data collection period or approximately 27 percent of annual use along the Sultan River) and hiking (average of 435 annual RD during 2-year RVS data collection period or approximately 24 percent of annual use along the Sultan River) accounted for the highest participation estimates at Sultan River and Lost Lake. Many visitors to both Spada Lake and Sultan River/Lost Lake indicated “multiple” primary activities on the completed visitor registration forms collected during the 2-year RVS-related data collection period. The high number of “multiple” activity visitors indicates the importance the study area plays in providing a range of recreation opportunities, not just one primary activity. • Regional Estimates of Demand – National and state-level estimates of recreation demand indicate that participation in most outdoor activities is anticipated to increase over the term of the new FERC license (primarily as a result of expected population growth). Regional increases in outdoor activities will likely influence recreation use levels in the study area. At the state level, the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) estimates that nature activities and linear activities (e.g., walking, hiking, bicycling, etc.) will both experience large increases in participation levels over the next 20 years (IAC 2003). • Projected Future Recreation Use Levels in the Study Area – Future recreation use in the study area is projected to range (based on regional participation trends and anticipated population changes) from approximately 11,000 recreation days (low scenario) to about 18,800 recreation days (high scenario) by 2061 (the anticipated 50-year maximum term of the new FERC license). This represents an increase of about 30 to 123 percent over existing use levels. Page ii Recreation Needs Analysis (RSP 13) October 2008 Jackson Hydroelectric Project • Potential Effects of Future Recreation Use Levels – Higher use levels in the future may result in increased pressure on existing study area recreation sites and use areas. New recreation opportunities (e.g., sites, facilities, etc.), changes in the existing configuration of recreation sites and public access (e.g., hike/bike instead of vehicle access, road closures, etc.) and/or changes in management strategies (e.g., visitor regulations) may then be needed to accommodate this increased use over time (see Capacity Analysis). Recreation Capacity Analysis • Current Project Area Capacity Estimate – In general, current recreation and public use levels throughout the Project area are considered below capacity (i.e., use levels do not create/result in unacceptable ecological/biophysical, social, and/or management impacts). • Anticipated Future Capacity – Even with robust growth in recreation activity participation, use levels at existing developed recreation sites in the Project area are not anticipated to reach and/or exceed capacity in the future. • Limiting Factors – While use levels are considered below capacity at this time (and will likely remain within acceptable levels during the anticipated license term), both ecological/biophysical and management capacity are considered recreation- and public use-related limiting factors. Ecological/biophysical and management capacity are considered limiting factors because of the District’s water quality protection measures required by the City of Everett and Washington State Department of Health and associated recreation use regulations and restrictions. As noted in the Capacity Analysis, this is not to imply that use regulations and restrictions are unacceptable and should be modified (there are multiple factors that influence recreation use levels in the Project area); rather it is an acknowledgement of the outcome that these actions have on recreation use levels in the Project area. Non-Motorized Trails Assessment • Study Area Trails – Currently, there are no District-managed official, developed recreation trails in the study area, though informal trails generally provide river access at the Sultan River access sites. In the study area, DNR provides two non- motorized trails (Boulder Lake and Greider Lakes) and study area roads are also used as de-facto trails (motorized and non-motorized uses). • Potential Trails – Several potential regional trails have previously been identified (e.g., IAC 1991 State Trails Plan), some of which pass near and/or through the study area (the District is not responsible for the development of regional trails outside the Project boundary). Other potential trails in the study area have also been identified by interested stakeholders. These stakeholder-identified trails tend to be focused on providing access to existing recreation opportunities, such as sites along the Sultan River. Recreation Needs Analysis (RSP 13) Page iii October 2008 Jackson Hydroelectric Project • Trail Demand – While there are multiple trail opportunities in the Project region, demand for these types of opportunities