Recreation Resources Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project Study - PDF document

1 1 Recreation Resources Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project Study Summary Study Report Meeting December 13, 2006 Lacey, Washington

Recreation Resources Study Preliminary Results n Recreation Inventory n USFS Wilderness Permit Data n On-Site Surveys n Observations (Packwood Lake/Lake Creek) n Energy Northwest and Contractor Visits n Traffic Counts 2 2

3 3 Recreation Study Area Recreation Study Area

Recreation Inventory n Dispersed Overnight Camping Areas n Dispersed Day-use Only Areas n Trails n Wilderness Stations n Buildings n Facilities 4 4

Dispersed Sites Dispersed Sites Non- -Wilderness Dispersed Sites Wilderness Dispersed Sites n Non n • 18 Campsites 18 Campsites • • 2 day 2 day- -use (no camping sign and space use (no camping sign and space • constraints) constraints) Wilderness Sites n Wilderness Sites n • 17 Campsites 17 Campsites • • 6 Disturbed areas (stock damage, rocky, 6 Disturbed areas (stock damage, rocky, • flooding, fallen trees) flooding, fallen trees) 5 5

6 6 Inventory Map Inventory Map

7 7 Dispersed Sites Dispersed Sites

8 8 Dispersed Sites Dispersed Sites

Facilities Facilities n US Forest Service US Forest Service n Guard Station Guard Station n Historic Log Ranger Historic Log Ranger n Station Station n Outhouses Outhouses n 9 9

USFS Wilderness Permit System USFS Wilderness Permit System 2005 (complete) n 2005 (complete) n • Day Use/Overnight Day Use/Overnight • • Peak Peak- -Season/Off Season/Off- -Seasons Seasons • • Weekday, Weekend Day and Holiday Weekday, Weekend Day and Holiday • • Visitor Demographics Visitor Demographics • 2006 (need from Forest Service) n 2006 (need from Forest Service) n 10 10

FS Wilderness Permits (2005) FS Wilderness Permits (2005) Avg # Nights Avg Party Size 3.5 3.3 Avg # Stock 3.2 3.2 Avg. # Dogs 3 2.7 2.64 2.5 2.45 2.43 2.5 2.3 2 1.5 1 0.8 0.55 0.5 0.5 0.43 0.5 0.26 0.24 0.24 0.2 0.16 0.15 0.1 0 Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight Tot al Peak-Season Of f-Season 11 11

FS Wilderness Permits (2005) FS Wilderness Permits (2005) 1200 # Permit Entries 1066 Total # People 973 1000 Visitor Days 800 600 400 269 242 198 198 200 150 150 93 83 75 73 60 48 48 27 15 10 0 Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight Total Peak-Season Off-Season 12 12

FS Wilderness Permits (2005) FS Wilderness Permits (2005) 17.63 18 Weekday 16 Weekend 14 Holiday 12 8.49 10 8 5.67 577.25 Weekday 528.75 600 6 Weekend 4 500 1.04 0.33 2 0 Holiday 400 0 Peak-Season Off-Seasons 300 Average Visitor Day 200 77.75 63.25 100 17 0 0 Peak-Season Off-Seasons Visitor Days 13 13

14 14 FS Wilderness Permits (2005) FS Wilderness Permits (2005)

On- -Site Surveys Site Surveys On n Completed Surveys at Packwood Lake n Completed Surveys at Packwood Lake Trailhead Parking Lot (2006) Trailhead Parking Lot (2006) • April 29 to November 30 April 29 to November 30 • • Surveys from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Surveys from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm • • Noon vehicle counts at parking lot Noon vehicle counts at parking lot • n Obtained USFS Survey data at Packwood n Obtained USFS Survey data at Packwood Lake Old Ranger Station (2005) Lake Old Ranger Station (2005) • August 9 to September 5 August 9 to September 5 • 15 15

2006 Surveys at Packwood Lake Trailhead 2006 Surveys at Packwood Lake Trailhead n Surveyors surveyed and/or documented all groups at Surveyors surveyed and/or documented all groups at n Trailhead Parking Lot Trailhead Parking Lot • • Many drive- Many drive -through (documented group size) through (documented group size) • • Some refused survey (documented group size and access Some refused survey (documented group size and access method) method) • Detailed questions to groups visiting Packwood Lake • Detailed questions to groups visiting Packwood Lake n Peak Peak- -Season 2006 Season 2006 n • • 19 days/290 groups documented/surveyed between 19 days/290 groups documented/surveyed between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day n Off Off- -Season Season n • • 4 days/20 groups documented/surveyed in Spring (April 29 – 4 days/20 groups documented/surveyed in Spring (April 29 – May 26) May 26) • 9 days documented/surveyed in Fall (Sept. 9 – – Nov.) + 5 Nov.) + 5 • 9 days documented/surveyed in Fall (Sept. 9 days additional vehicle counts. ( Data input and analysis in Data input and analysis in days additional vehicle counts. ( process) process) 16 16

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Peak - - Travel Routes/Methods Travel Routes/Methods Peak Peak-Season Travel Routes 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Peak-Season Travel Methods Trail #74/Pipeline Trail #78 Parking Lot/Drive thru 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Horse/Pack Bike Hike Bike Hike ATV Motor- ATV Motor- cycle cycle Trail #74/Pipeline Trail #78 Parking 17 17 Lot/Drive thru

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Peak - - Travel Routes/Methods Travel Routes/Methods Peak Peak-Season Travel Routes and Methods 25% Overnight (PWL) 20% Day Use (PWL) Other/Unknown 15% 10% 5% 0% Hike Hike Horse/Pack Motor- Bike Motor- Bike ATV ATV cycle cycle Trail #74/Pipeline Trail #78 Parking Lot/Drive 18 18 thru

2006 Surveys – – 2006 Surveys Spring - - Travel Routes/Methods Travel Routes/Methods Spring Spring-Season Travel Routes and Methods 60% Overnight (PWL) 50% Day Use (PWL) Other/Unknown 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% ATV Motor- Bike Hike ATV Motor- Bike Hike cycle cycle Trail #74/Pipeline Trail #78 Parking Lot/Drive thru 19 19

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visits Packwood Lake Visits 6 6 Avg # Nights Avg # Hours 4.7 Avg Party Size 5 4.3 4 3.3 2.6 3 2.12 2 2 1 1 0 Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight Peak-Season Spring-Season 20 20

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visits Packwood Lake Visits Packwood Lake - Seasonal Visits 5000 4708 4500 # People 4000 Visitor Days Packwood Lake - Average Daily Visits 3500 3000 50 46.6 Avg # People/Day 2500 45 Avg Visitor Day 2000 40 1596 1596 1521 1500 35 1000 30 500 25 94 94 40 20 0 20 Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight 1 6 1 6 1 5.1 15 Peak-Season Spring-Season 10 5 3.4 3.4 1 .4 0.7 0 Day Use Overnight Day Use Overnight 21 21 Peak-Season Spring-Season

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visits Packwood Lake Visits Average Visitor Day 80.52 80 70.23 70 Peak-Season 54.08 60 Spring-Seasons 50 Average # of People/Day 40 30 80 Average # People (Peak-Season) 20 70 Average # People (Spring-Seasons) 5.50 3.00 10 0 60 0 Weekday Weekend Holiday 50 40.00 40.00 40 27.00 30 20 5.00 10 3.00 0 0 22 22 Weekday Weekend Holiday

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visitor Destinations Packwood Lake Visitor Destinations Packwood Lake - Spring-Season Visitor Days/Destination Non-Wilderness Wilderness Both 40 (30%) 0 94 (70%) Packwood Lake - Peak-Season Visitor Days/Destination Non-Wilderness Wilderness 547 (9%) Both 2140 (34%) 3616 (57%) 23 23

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Activity Packwood Lake Activity What activities did you participate in at Packwood Lake during your visit? 100% Peak-Season 90% Spring-Season 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Camping Hiking Hunting Picnicking Boat Fishing Shore Fishing Other Boating Visiting Beach Wading/Swimming Pictures 24 24

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visits Packwood Lake Visits Frequency of Visits to Packwood Lake Peak-Season 25 21.67 Spring-Season 20 16.09 15 What seasons of the year do you visit Packwood Lake? 100%100% 100% 10 Peak-Season 100% Spring-Season 3 2.52 90% 5 80% 0 70% How many years have you been How many times a year do you 60% coming to Packwood Lake? visit Packwood Lake? 50% 50% 39% 40% 27% 28% 30% 20% 10% 10% 0% 0% 0% 25 25 First Visit Summer Fall Winter Spring

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visitor Opinions Packwood Lake Visitor Opinions Opinions Regarding Eliminating ATV/Motorized Vehicles at Packwood Lake 70% Peak-Season Spring-Season 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Opinions Regarding Moving Camping Areas Away From Packwood Lake Shoreline 0% Bad Idea Good Idea No Opinion 70% Peak-Season Spring-Season 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 26 26 0% Bad Idea Good Idea No Opinion

2006 Surveys 2006 Surveys Packwood Lake Visitor Ratings Packwood Lake Visitor Ratings Rating Packwood Lake (5 is best) 5 5 4.67 4.46 Peak-Season 4.5 4.25 Spring-Season 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 Scale of 1-5, how do you rate Packwood Lake area? Scale of 1-5, how rate recreation experience at Packwood Lake? 27 27