APPALACHIAN POWER COMPANY RECREATION ASSESSMENT AND ANGLER USE CREEL SURVEY REPORT LONDON/MARMET PROJECT (FERC NO. 1175) WINFIELD PROJECT (FERC NO. 1290) Prepared by: APPALACHIAN POWER COMPANY RECREATION ASSESSMENT AND ANGLER USE CREEL SURVEY REPORT LONDON/MARMET PROJECT (FERC NO 1175) WINFIELD PROJECT (FERC NO. 1290) Prepared by: APPALACHIAN POWER COMPANY LONDON/MARMET PROJECT (FERC NO. 1175) WINFIELD PROJECT (FERC NO. 1290) RECREATION ASSESSMENT AND ANGLER USE CREEL SURVEY REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1-1 2.0 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................. 2-1 3.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY...................................................................... 3-1 4.0 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Literature Review and Data Search ......................................................... 4-4 4.1.2 Recreation Site Inventory ........................................................................ 4-4 4.1.3 On Site Monitoring .................................................................................. 4-5 4.1.3.1 Spot Counts ............................................................................... 4-6 4.1.3.2 Public Access Site/Creel Survey ............................................... 4-6 4.1.4 Traffic Counter......................................................................................... 4-8 4.2 Analysis................................................................................................................ 4-9 4.2.1 Recreation Use Estimates ........................................................................ 4-9 4.2.2 Catch and Harvest Estimates ................................................................. 4-12 4.2.3 Public Access Site/Creel Survey ............................................................ 4-12 4.2.4 Traffic Counter....................................................................................... 4-13 4.2.5 Recreation Needs Assessment ............................................................... 4-13 5.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................. 5-1 6.0 RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................ 6-1 6.1 Regional Recreation Opportunities ...................................................................... 6-1 6.1.1 National Parks and National Forests ........................................................ 6-1 6.1.2 State Parks and State Forests ................................................................... 6-3 6.1.3 Wildlife Management Areas .................................................................... 6-4 6.1.4 Angling and Boating Opportunities ......................................................... 6-4 6.2 Project Vicinity Recreational Facilities ............................................................... 6-5 6.2.1 National Parks and National Forests ........................................................ 6-5 6.2.2 State Parks and State Forests ................................................................... 6-7 6.2.3 Wildlife Management Areas .................................................................... 6-8 6.2.4 Angling and Boating Opportunities ......................................................... 6-8 6.3 Project Recreation Facilities ................................................................................ 6-9 - i - Table of Contents (Cont’d) 6.3.1 London Development............................................................................... 6-9 6.3.2 Marmet Development ............................................................................ 6-12 6.3.3 Winfield Development ........................................................................... 6-14 7.0 RECREATION USE ...................................................................................................... 7-18 7.1 Existing Recreation Use ..................................................................................... 7-18 7.2 Angler Effort ...................................................................................................... 7-24 7.3 Potential Future Recreation Use ........................................................................ 7-25 8.0 RECREATIONIST CHARACTERISTICS, PREFERENCES, AND OPINIONS ......... 8-1 8.1 Trip Characteristics .............................................................................................. 8-1 8.2 Recreationist Characteristics ................................................................................ 8-2 9.0 CREEL SURVEY RESULTS.......................................................................................... 9-1 9.1 Angler Trip Characteristics .................................................................................. 9-1 9.2 Catch and Harvest ................................................................................................ 9-3 9.3 Catch and Harvest Rates ...................................................................................... 9-6 9.4 Fish Consumption Advisories .............................................................................. 9-8 10.0 ADEQUACY OF EXISTING FACILITIES AND RECREATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................ 10-10 10.1 Recreation Site Use Capacities ........................................................................ 10-10 10.2 Recreation Needs Assessments ........................................................................ 10-12 10.3 Adequacy of Facilities to Accommodate Existing and Future Use ................. 10-14 11.0 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 11-1 - ii - Table of Contents (Cont’d) LIST OF TABLES Table 4-1. Angling Use and Creel Study Plan Objectives and Efforts ................................. 4-2 Table 7-1. Public Recreation Use at Project Tailwater Angling Access Sites (March, 2010 to November, 2010) ............................................................................................... 7-19 Table 7-2. Monthly Use Totals Reported by Recreationists ............................................... 7-22 Table 7-3. Traffic Counter Vehicle Counts by Month, Day Type, and Time ..................... 7-23 Table 7-4. Angling Effort by Month and Day Type............................................................ 7-24 Table 7-5. Estimated Future Recreation Days for the Tygart Tailwater Access Sites ........ 7-26 Table 8-1. Resident Angler Expenditures ............................................................................. 8-2 Table 9-1. Species Targeted by Anglers by Site ................................................................... 9-1 Table 9-2. Species Caught and Released by Site .................................................................. 9-4 Table 9-3. Total Fish, Lengths and Weights of Harvested Species ...................................... 9-5 Table 9-4. Catch and Harvest Rates by Site Month and Day Type ....................................... 9-7 Table 9-5. Questions Regarding Fish Consumption Advisories and Changes in Fishing Habits ................................................................................................................... 9-9 Table 10-1. Use Densities by Site, Month and Day Type ................................................... 10-11 Table 10-2. Recommended Improvements at Project Tailwater Angling Access Site ....... 10-13 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 5-1. Project Locations ................................................................................................. 5-1 Figure 6-1. Regional recreation opportunities within 60 miles of the Projects ...................... 6-2 Figure 6-2. Project Vicinity Recreation Facilities .................................................................. 6-6 Figure 7-1. Recreational Use Trends by Month at the Winfield and Marmet Tailwater Angling Access Sites. ........................................................................................ 7-21 Figure 9-1. Targeted Species by Month ................................................................................. 9-2 LIST OF PHOTOS Photo 4-1. Road tube traffic counter located at the entrance to the Winfield recreation site. .... .............................................................................................................................. 4-9 Photo 5-2. London Development........................................................................................... 5-3 Photo 5-3. Marmet Development .......................................................................................... 5-4 Photo 5-4. Winfield Development ......................................................................................... 5-5 Photo 6-1. Overview of the London Development Tailwater Angling Access Site............ 6-10 Photo 6-2. London Development Tailwater Fishing Pier .................................................... 6-11 Photo 6-3. Retired Access Bridge at the London Development .........................................