Rec 15 Reservoir Recreation Water Surface Elevation Study
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REC 15 RESERVOIR RECREATION WATER SURFACE ELEVATION STUDY 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Interviews with representatives from resource agencies, reservoir recreation concessionaires, and local stakeholders and active and passive recreation surveys of visitors to the reservoirs within the study area were completed during the summer, 2002. Reservoirs within the Big Creek ALP study area include Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Florence Lake, and Mammoth Pool Reservoir. The designed use and functional use of the recreation facilities at each reservoir were determined and relationships between water surface elevations (WSEs) and the operation of each reservoir were examined over time. The influence of WSEs on the functionality of the recreation facilities and the primary recreation uses at each reservoir were evaluated. Recreation use/water elevation curves were developed for the primary activities at each reservoir. Potential conflicts among user groups and reservoir operations that may influence WSEs were identified. The operations of the boat docks and launches at the four reservoirs are the primary recreation facilities affected by changes in WSEs. Boat angling is one of the primary recreation activities at all the reservoirs during the summer recreation season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Various boating recreation activities, including water skiing and sailing, were also popular at Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake. Recreation use/water stage curves indicate that boating use is high as long as the WSEs are within the functional use range of the recreation facilities. Water skiing and other personal watercraft tended to have steeper declines in recreation use in response to decreases in WSEs than angling (by boat or from the shore). The majority of the surveyed anglers during the 2002 summer recreation season at the four reservoirs did not think that WSEs affected their enjoyment of fishing. Water surface elevations during 1983-2002 were within the functional use ranges of all the boat launches and docks at the four reservoirs greater than 85% of the time during the summer recreation season, except at Mammoth Pool Reservoir during Critically Dry Water-years (WY). The majority of conflicts identified from the interviews and surveys were not dependent on WSEs. Rather, potential conflicts tended to be between different user groups. Few recreationists indicated that existing WSEs negatively impacted their picnicking or camping experience. Copyright 2004 by Southern California Edison REC 15-1 Recreation Working Group REC 15 Reservoir Recreation Water Surface Elevation Study 2.0 STUDY OBJECTIVES Determine optimal range of reservoir elevations for recreational and aesthetic uses and determine feasibility of providing advanced information on reservoir water levels. 3.0 STUDY IMPLEMENTATION 3.1 STUDY ELEMENTS COMPLETED • Identified and quantitatively ranked the relative use of the current recreational activities at each reservoir by season; • Identified all associated support facilities for each recreational activity; • Identified the designed and functional reservoir elevation range for each support facility; • Identified the factors influencing recreational activities at each reservoir by season; • Developed a quality of recreational use/stage relationship curve (USC) for each recreational activity that depicts the relationship between recreational use and reservoir WSE; • Identified the potential conflicts between recreation user groups; • Compiled historical operations data for each reservoir; and • Identified reservoir operational constraints that may influence WSE and recreational activities. 3.2 OUTSTANDING STUDY ELEMENTS Evaluate the potential for increasing recreational opportunities based on modifying reservoir operations or support facilities. 4.0 STUDY METHODOLOGY 4.1 RESERVOIR USE AND WATER SURFACE ELEVATION The range of reservoir WSEs for recreational uses was evaluated at four reservoirs within the Big Creek ALP study area, including Shaver Lake, Huntington Lake, Florence Lake, and Mammoth Pool Reservoir. Water levels were photo-documented, elevations of reservoir support facilities were surveyed, and interviews were conducted with recreational users or knowledgeable persons at each reservoir. Information from the photographs, surveys, and interviews was compiled and summarized to determine the range of WSEs required to support or enhance the primary recreation activities at each reservoir. Copyright 2004 by Southern California Edison REC 15-2 Recreation Working Group REC 15 Reservoir Recreation Water Surface Elevation Study Photo-Documentation At each of the reservoirs, photographs were taken from primary use areas at different WSEs to document the physical and aesthetic lake characteristics at each water level. The photographs were also used during the interviews to more clearly portray the relationships among WSEs, recreation activities, and support facility operations. Interviews Data on recreation uses associated with each reservoir was obtained from interviewing various people that have a working knowledge of each reservoir and the primary recreation activities associated with the reservoirs. Members of the Recreation Working Group provided a list of individuals thought to have a working knowledge of the operational and recreational constraints relative to each reservoir. Each of these individuals was contacted and informed of the study process and the specific data needs. Following this initial contact, fifteen individuals participated in the study. The number of interviews for each reservoir differed depending on the availability of willing and qualified individuals associated with each reservoir. For Huntington Lake, eight interviews were conducted, while one was conducted at Mammoth Pool Reservoir (the interviews are provided in Appendix A). The interviewee only answered the survey questions of which they were knowledgeable. The interviewees at each reservoir are: • Shaver Lake: Steve Byrd, technical specialist/scientist of Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Camp Edison; John Mount, manager of SCE’s Camp Edison; Greg Powell, manager of Sierra Marina; Sheldon Sandstrom, manager of Shaver Lake Marina; and Jack Yandell, retired Shaver Lake fishing guide. • Huntington Lake: Maureen Barile, representative from the Huntington Lake Historical Society and Huntington Lake Association (HLA); Frank Hoke, representative from the HLA; Toby Horst, representative from the Sierra Nevada Access, Multiple-Use and Stewardship Coalition (SAMS Coalition) and the Sierra Resource Conservation District; Fred Ilcher, representative from the Fresno Yacht Club; Steve Monke, Gold Arrow Camp manager; Mark Richards, manager of Rancheria Marina; Sandra Richey, manager of Huntington Lake Resort; and Steve Sherri, manager of Lakeshore Resort. • Florence Lake and Lake Edison: Retha Gomez, recreation specialist with the United States Forest Service (USDA-FS) and Toby Horst, representative from the SAMS/Resource Conservation District and former operator of Vermilion Valley Resort. • Mammoth Pool Reservoir: Mike LeFevre, USDA-FS ranger, manager of Mammoth Pool Reservoir. Copyright 2004 by Southern California Edison REC 15-3 Recreation Working Group REC 15 Reservoir Recreation Water Surface Elevation Study A survey instrument, Water Surface Elevation Study Consultation Questions (WSESCQ), was developed and approved by the Recreation Working Group to gather the data needed for the study (refer to Appendix A for the WSECQ Form). The WSESCQ consists of five Water Surface Elevation Threshold (WSETs) definitions and ten questions. The WSESCQ was used for each interview. Five WSETs were defined in the WSESCQ. They are: Maximum Acceptable Water Surface Elevation: The highest stage at which you predict that 50% of the users would be willing to recreate on the reservoir. Minimum Acceptable Water Surface Elevation: The lowest stage at which you predict that 50% of the users would be willing to recreate on the reservoir. Maximum Optimal Water Surface Elevation: The highest stage at which you predict that 90% of the users would be willing to recreate on the reservoir. Minimum Optimal Water Surface Elevation: The lowest stage at which you predict that 90% of the users would be willing to recreate on the reservoir. Minimum Useable Water Surface Elevation: The lowest stage at which you predict that 10% of the users would be willing to recreate on the reservoir. Data gathered in the interviews included: Identification of recreation activities during the main recreation season (Memorial Day through Labor Day); Identification of recreation activities during the spring (April 1 through Memorial Day) and fall (Labor Day through October 31) seasons; Identification of recreation activities during the winter season (November 1 through March 31); Ranking the relative use of each recreation activity by season; Identification of the associated support facilities for primary recreation activities by season; Identification of the primary determinants affecting the function of support facilities for establishing WSETs for each primary recreation activity; Copyright 2004 by Southern California Edison REC 15-4 Recreation Working Group REC 15 Reservoir Recreation Water Surface Elevation Study Identification of the primary determinants affecting recreation use for establishing WSETs for each primary recreation activity; Identification of factors other than WSE and support facility function that affects recreation use; Identification of reservoir operational constraints that influence