Alcoa Power Generating Inc. Yadkin Division Yadkin Project Relicensing (FERC No. 2197) Recreational Use Assessment Draft Report December 2004 Prepared by ERM TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................... ES-i 1.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1 2.0 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................3 2.1 Data Collection...........................................................................................3 2.1.1 Spot Counts......................................................................................5 2.1.2 Visitor Use Surveys.........................................................................7 2.1.3 Tailwater Use Survey.....................................................................10 2.1.4 Canoe/Kayak Registry...................................................................11 2.1.5 Resident Use Survey......................................................................11 2.1.6 Private Community Use Survey.....................................................13 2.1.7 Business and Organization Survey ................................................15 2.1.8 Uwharrie National Forest Survey ..................................................16 2.1.9 Aerial Photographs.........................................................................16 2.2 Recreational Use Data Analysis..............................................................18 2.2.1 Public Access Recreational Use.....................................................18 2.2.2 Waterfront Resident Recreational Use...........................................20 2.2.3 Private Community Recreational Use............................................23 2.2.4 Commercial Business and Private Organization Recreation Use..24 2.2.5 Canoe/Kayak Portage Recreational Use ........................................25 2.3 Reservoir Water Levels...........................................................................26 2.3.1 Precipitation ...................................................................................26 2.3.2 Reservoir Water Elevations ...........................................................28 2.3.3 Summary........................................................................................28 3.0 CONSULTATION ...............................................................................................31 4.0 RECREATIONAL USE ASSESSMENT...........................................................32 4.1 Recreational User Profile ........................................................................32 4.1.1 Age and Gender .............................................................................32 4.1.2 Place of Residence .........................................................................32 4.1.3 Overnight Stay Location................................................................33 4.2 High Rock Development Recreational Use............................................34 4.2.1 Recreational Facility Condition .....................................................36 4.2.2 Recreational Activities...................................................................40 4.2.3 Recreational Use............................................................................43 4.2.4 Recreational Facility Capacity.......................................................47 4.2.5 Recreational Issues.........................................................................50 4.3 Tuckertown Development Recreational Use .........................................55 4.3.1 Recreational Facility Condition .....................................................55 4.3.2 Recreational Activities...................................................................61 4.3.3 Recreational Use............................................................................61 4.3.4 Recreational Facility Capacity.......................................................65 4.3.5 Recreational Issues.........................................................................67 ERM i Recreational Use Assessment December 2004 4.4 Narrows Development Recreational Use ...............................................71 4.4.1 Recreational Facility Condition .....................................................71 4.4.2 Recreational Activities...................................................................76 4.4.3 Recreational Use............................................................................78 4.4.4 Recreational Facility Capacity.......................................................82 4.4.5 Recreational Issues.........................................................................85 4.5 Falls Development Recreational Use......................................................90 4.5.1 Recreational Facility Condition .....................................................90 4.5.2 Recreational Activities...................................................................94 4.5.3 Recreational Use............................................................................94 4.5.4 Recreational Facility Capacity.......................................................97 4.5.5 Recreational Issues.........................................................................98 4.6 Total Project Recreational Use.............................................................100 4.6.1 Total Current Yadkin Project Recreation Use .............................100 4.6.2 Previous Recreational Use Studies ..............................................100 4.6.3 Comparison of Results of Existing Study with Prior Studies......101 5.0 RECREATIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY................................................108 5.1 Physical Carrying Capacity ..................................................................108 5.2 Social Carrying Capacity ......................................................................110 5.2.1 High Rock Reservoir....................................................................110 5.2.2 Tuckertown Reservoir..................................................................114 5.2.3 Narrows Reservoir.......................................................................119 5.2.4 Falls Reservoir.............................................................................124 5.3 Overall Carrying Capacity....................................................................132 5.3.1 High Rock Reservoir....................................................................132 5.3.2 Tuckertown Reservoir..................................................................133 5.3.3 Narrows Reservoir.......................................................................133 5.3.4 Falls Reservoir.............................................................................134 5.4 Recreational Use Trends .......................................................................135 5.4.1 Demographic Changes.................................................................135 5.4.2 Recreational Use Trends..............................................................136 5.5 Future Recreational Use Projections ...................................................138 5.6 Comparison of Carrying Capacity with Future Recreational Use Projections ..............................................................................................139 6.0 UWHARRIE NATIONAL FOREST RECREATION USE ..........................140 6.1 Reservoir Visitation...............................................................................140 6.2 Recreation Experience...........................................................................140 6.3 Crowding Distances...............................................................................141 6.4 Principal Reasons to Visit .....................................................................142 6.5 Alternative Recreation Areas................................................................142 7.0 TAILWATER USE ASSESSMENT ................................................................143 7.1 Physical Description...............................................................................143 7.2 Existing Recreational Use of Project Tailwaters.................................151 ERM ii Recreational Use Assessment December 2004 7.3 Potential Recreational Issues................................................................157 7.3.1 High Rock Dam Tailwaters .........................................................157 7.3.2 Tuckertown Dam Tailwaters........................................................158 7.3.3 Narrows Dam Tailwaters .............................................................158 7.3.4 Falls Dam Tailwaters ...................................................................158 7.4 Effects of Project Operations................................................................159 8.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................160 8.1 Conclusions.............................................................................................160 8.1.1 Recreational Use Levels and Carrying Capacity .........................160 8.1.2 Recreational Activities.................................................................160 8.1.3 Seasonality of Recreational Use ..................................................161 8.1.4 Recreational Issues.......................................................................161 8.1.5 Resident versus Visitor