RECREATIONAL USE PATTERNS AT FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR, 1963-65 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Depart- ment of the Interior has basic responsibilities for water, fish, wildlife, mineral, land, park, and recreational re- sources. Indian and Territorial affairs are other major concerns of America's "Department of Natural Resources." The Department works to assure the wisest choice in managing all our resources so each will make its full contribution to a better United States -- now and in the future. Cover photo: Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir, Utah and Wyoming. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation photo. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402- Price 75 cents UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Division of Fishery Services RECREATIONAL USE PATTERNS AT FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR, 1963-65 By John G. Hewston and the late Donald R. Franklin Utah Cooperative Fishery Unit Utah State University Logan, Utah [John G. Hewston's present address is Division of Natural Resources, Humboldt State College, Arcata, California 95521.1 Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Resource Publication 70 Washington, D.C. • January 1969 FIGURE 1.--Fisbing was the leading primary purpose of visting Flaming Gorge Reservoir during 1964 and 1965. Rainbow trout made up 99 percent of the catch. Photo: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. CONTENTS Page Abstract viii Introduction ... 1 The study area ... 2 Climate and vegetation ...5 Accessibility ...5 Previous use ...6 Administration .......................................... 6 Fishery management ... 7 Methods and materials ... 8 Interviews .............................................. 8 Mailed questionnaires ... 8 Creel census ...9 Postal cards ... 9 Traffic counts ...9 Agency records .......................................... 10 Facilities .................................................... 11 Recreational use .............................................. 15 Origin of visitors ...................................... 16 Purpose of visit and activities .......................... 16 Party size .............................................. 19 Length of stay .......................................... 19 Previous visits and party composition .................... 19 Camping .................................................. 19 Alternate choices ........................................ 21 Traffic patterns ........................................ 22 Use by local residents .................................. 22 The sport fishery ............................................ 24 Estimated number of angler trips ........................ 24 Regulations .............................................. 24 Creel census procedure .................................. 25 Angler success .......................................... 26 Percentage with fish ................................ 26 Catch rates ........................................ 26 Mean length of fish caught .............................. 27 Fish condition . ........................................ 28 Types of lures used ...................................... 28 1 11 CONTENTS (Continued) Page Seasonal fishing patterns .............................. 28 Factors influencing angler distribution ................ 28 Knowledge of area . ....................... 29 Regulations 29 Weather 30 Fishery resource . ....................... 30 Boat ramp location . ....................... 31 Camping and picnic facilitias ................ 31 Access 32 Location of marinas . ....................... 32 Characteristics of angling parties .................... 32 Origin 33 Purpose of visit . 34 Party size . 34 Age composition . ....................... 35 Parental influence . ....................... 35 Miscellaneous characteristics .................... 35 Percentage fishing elsewhere .......................... 35 Reasons why parties did not fish ...................... 36 Economic values . 37 Visitor expenditures . 37 Private businesses . 38 Visitor satisfaction . 39 Visitor attitudes . 39 Visitor opinions . ....................... 40 Best liked by visitors ............................ 41 Suggested improvements ............................ 41 Local resident opinions . ....................... 42 Discussion . 42 Conclusions . 43 Literature cited 45 Acknowledgements 46 Appendices 47 A. Interview schedule . ....................... 47 B. Interviewer's manual . ....................... 53 iv CONTENTS (Continued) Page C. Summary of responses to interviews . 58 D. Questionnaire sent to local residents 65 E. Summary of responses to questionnaire 70 F. Creel census form ................ 77 G. Summary of creel census ........... 78 H. Postal card survey form ........... 80 FIGURE 2.--The "Flying Fisherman", Gadabout Gaddis, with veteran boatman, Don Harris, fishing in the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. Photo: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. FIGURES AND TABLES Page Figures 1. Rainbow trout ... ii 2. Trout fishing ........................................ 3. Ice fishing .......................................... vii 4. Fishing scene ........................................ vii 5. Map of Flaming Gorge Reservoir .... 2 6. View of desert portion of the reservoir .... 3 7. Flaming Gorge ....4 8. View of lower canyon portion of the reservoir ....4 9. Campground facilities ... 10 10. Location of recreation sites and study units ... 11 11. Typical concrete block toilet ... 12 12. Modern restroom facility ...12 13. Boat ramp ... 14 14. Number of visits, 1963-1965 ...15 15. Incidental activities of visitors ...18 16. Camping near the water ...57 17. Water skiing .................................... 64 18. Preimpoundment treatment with rotenone ... 69 19. Green River below Flaming Gorge Reservoir ............ 76 Tables 1. Status of recreational facilities ... 13 2. Number of visits ................................ 15 3. Origin of visitors, by States ...16 4. Origin of visitors, large cities ... 16 5. Primary purpose of visits. 17 6. Activities of visiting parties ... 18 7. Size of parties and length of stay ... 19 8. Types of accomodations used ... 20 9. Amount of money visitors were willing to spend . 21 10. Percent of visitors from traffic of major highways. 22 11. Average number of vehicles on Route 44 ...22 12. Use of recreational sites by local parties ... 23 13. Estimates of fisherman-days ... 24 14. Angler success ................................ 26 15. Reasons for fishing in certain areas ... 29 16. Origin of angling parties. ... 33 17. Primary purpose of visit and fishing ... 34 18. Reasons for not fishing. 36 19. Local fishing license sales ... 37 20. Visitor expenditures . 37 21. Mean daily expenditures . ...38 22. Visitor satisfaction ....40 vi FIGURES 3 and 4.--Trout fishing provides year around recreation at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Photos: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. vii ABSTRACT Activities, characteristics, and satisfactions of recreationists at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming, were studied in 1963-1965. Data were collected from interviews, questionnaires, creel censuses, and administrative agency records. Number of visits increased from an estimated 231,065 in 1963, the year the reservoir began to fill, to 521,843 in 1964 and 786,103 in 1965. Utah residents were present in 68 percent of the parties in 1963 and in 82 percent in 1964 and 1965. Wyoming, Colorado and California were the only other States contributing large numbers of visitors. In 1963, 56 percent of the parties came primarily to sight-see, but fishing for rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) became the most important primary purpose of visit during the following two years, when 42 and 37 percent came to fish. Sight-seeing was second in 1964 and 1965, with 37 and 36 percent coming primarily for that reason. Sight-seeing was the major general activity of visiting parties each year, with 74, 76, and 91 percent containing members who participated. Fishing activity, expressed as percentage of visiting parties containing someone who fished in the area (tributaries, lakes, or reservoir) rose from 16 percent in 1963 to 71 and 75 percent during the following two years, when the reservoir was open to angling. Catch rates were 1.24 fish per hour in 1964 and 1.33 in 1965, but varied with type of angling and in different parts of the reservoir. Mean length of creeled trout was 11.2 inches each year and varied on different parts of the reservoir, but fish condition declined by 1965. Distribution of anglers was influenced primarily by location of access points. Other important visitor activities included camping, photography, picnicking, hiking, boating, sunbathing, swimming, nature study, water skiing and hunting. Visitors were most satisfied with scenery and weather and least satisfied with swimming areas and fish-cleaning stations. Many boat ramps were out of the water until late each summer. Camp- grounds were designed primarily for tent campers and were not adequate to accommodate the average parties with more than one vehicle and other heavy, wheeled equipment. viii - RECREATIONAL USE PATTERNS AT FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR, 1963 1965 INTRODUCTION Reservoirs make up approximately one-third of all inland fishing waters in the United States, exclusive of the Great Lakes, and support 20 percent of all sport fishing trips (Jenkins, 1961). Additional waters, however, will be needed to meet the projected demands of recreationists