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NisquallyRiverWaterTrailSurveyOverviewThissurveywasconductedaspartofalargerplanningeffortledbytheNisquallyRiverCouncil.
TechnicalassistanceisbeingprovidedbytheNationalParkService’sRivers,Trails,andConservationAssistanceProgram.AnAdvisoryCommitteehasbeenformedtohelpguidedevelopmentoftheplanningprocess.Thevisionforthewatertrailistoprovidehighqualitynon-motorizedpublic
recreationopportunitiesthatarealignedwitheffortstoprotectthenaturalenvironment,includingthreatenedandendangeredspecieshabitatandprotectedlands.
Apublicsurveywasreleasedtogatherinputfromthepubliconwheretheygo,whatactivitiestheydo,whattheyvalueabouttheNisqually,issuesandproblemstheyhaveencountered,andwhattheirvision
isforthefuture.Theresultswillhelpinformtheplanandrecommendations.
ThesurveywasinternetbasedandranfromSeptembertoDecember2015.ItwaspromotedonNisquallyRiverCouncil’swebsite,AmericanWhitewater’swebsite,mediareleases,andattheOpenHouseinNovember.Anumberofrecreationalandenvironmentalorganizationsalsospreadtheword
aboutthesurveytotheirmembershipnetworks.Thesurveydidnotuserandomsampling,andsodoesnotrepresentarandomsamplingofthegeneralpopulation.Therewere146peoplewhorespondedtothesurvey.Thoughnotarandomsampleofvisitors,theresultsillustratethetypesofrecreation
activitiespeopleengagein,whatvaluesareimportantanduniquetotheNisqually,issuesandconcernsoccurring,andarangeofrecommendationsdesiredinthefuture.
TableofContentsCurrentUseandActivities ........................................................................................................................... 2
Boaters......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Non-Boaters................................................................................................................................................. 8
VisionfortheFuture.................................................................................................................................... 9
IssuesandBarriers..................................................................................................................................... 12
Values ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
EconomicActivity ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Demographics............................................................................................................................................ 16
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Current Use and Activities
VisitationtotheNisquallyRiver(146/146respondents)
ThefirstquestioninthesurveyaskedhaveyoubeentotheNisquallyRiver.Afterrespondingtothis,twotracksinthesurveywerecreated:usersandnon-users.Sincethesurveyonlycapturedthreenon-
users,thisinformationisnotincluded.
ActivityParticipationbySeason(130/146respondents)
Surveyrespondentslistedwalking/hiking,wildlifeandbirdwatching,andboatingasthetopthree
activitiestheyparticipatedin.Usewasspreadthroughouttheseasonswithsummerreceivingthehighestparticipationlevels.
98%
2%
Have you ever visited the Nisqually River? See the map as a reference.
Yes
No
3
4
LocationsVisited(129/146respondents)
Surveyparticipants
wereaskedwheretheyhadbeenalongthe
NisquallyRiver.Themostpopular
locationsweretheNisquallyNational
WildlifeRefuge,PackForest,and
McKennaPark.
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Boaters
Boaters/Floaters(130/146respondents)
SixtypercentofrespondentshadboatedorfloatedtheNisquallyRiver.Thisquestionthencreatedtwotracks;boaterswereaskedaseriesofadditionalquestionsontheiruseandpreferencesandnon-boaterswereaskedwhytheyhadnotyetboated/floatedtheNisquallyRiver.
ReachesVisitedbyTimeofYear(70/146respondents)
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PreferredCraft(70/146respondents)
Themostpopularcraftswerekayaks,rafts,anddriftboats.
PaddlingLengths(62/146respondents)
Tenmileswasthemostcommonpreferredmilestopaddleinoneday.
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DistancesAbletoCarryCraft(69/146respondents)
Respondentswereaskedhowfartheywouldbewillingtocarrytheircraft;39%statedtheycouldcarrytheircraftaquarterofamileand32%saidtheycouldnotcarrytheircraftanydistance.
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Flows(35/146respondents)
Boaterswereaskedaboutflows,withthefollowingmostcommonresponsesoutlinedbelow:
• Lowestboatableflow:500-1000cfs• Standardboatableflow:1000-2000cfs• Highboatableflow:1500-4000cfs
Non-Boaters
ReasonsParticipantsDoNotBoat/FloattheNisquallyRiver(77/146respondents)
RespondentsthathadnotyetboatedtheNisquallyRiverwereaskedwhy;themostcommonresponses
were:
• Idon’thaveaboattouse• Ifriveraccesswasopenedupandinformationaboutitmademorewidelyavailable,Imightbe
interestedincomingtotherivertorecreate.• Ineedmoreinformationabouttheboatingandfloatingopportunities
Ifyoudon'tfloatorboattheriver,whynot?Checkallthatapply.
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Vision for the Future
DesiredAmenitiesfortheWaterTrail(115/146respondents)
Participantswereaskedwhattypeoffeaturestheywouldliketoseeinthefuture.Theresponseswere
prettywidespreadacrossalltheamenitiesandthemostvaluedresponseswerenewaccesssitestoput-in/take-outboats,amap/guideofthewatertrail,abilitytoaccesshikingtrailsalongthewatertrail,andsignsalongthewatertrailthatidentifyaccesssitesandhazards.
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ManagedRiverAccess(109/146respondents)
Participantsratedtheoptionsformanagedaccess.Themostpopularoneswere:
• Allowingtherivertobeopenforafewweeksatatimeduringcertaintimesoftheyear• Gatedriveraccesswhereboaterswouldparkoutsidethegateandwalkdowntheirboatstothe
river,boatcartswouldbeprovidedtohelpwithtowingheavyboats.• Apermitthatallowsboaterstoparkatanaccesssite.Thepermitsystemwouldlikelybelimited
tojustafewvehiclesatatime.
0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00
New access sites to put-in/take-out boats
A map/guide of the water trail
Ability to access hiking trails along the water trail
Signs along the water trail that identify access sites and hazards
Availability of restrooms
Interpretive guides about safety and the natural and cultrual resources of the area
Well marked areas to get out of boats to stretch, etc
Ability to camp along the water trail
Availability of drinking water
Looking into the future, imagine a water trail was developed. What features of a water trail are most valuable to you?
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WillingnesstoPayforMap/Guide(115/146respondents)
Participantswereaskediftheywouldbewillingtopayforamap/guide;themajority(43%)indicatedtheywouldbewillingand23%saidtheywouldnot.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Allow river use for several
weeks during certain times of the year.
Gated river access where boaters would park outside the gate and walk down
their boats to the river, boat carts would be
provided to help with
towing heavy boats.
A permit that allows boaters to park at an access site. The permit
system would likely be
limited to just a few vehicles at
a time.
A fee-based shuttle service where vehicles are parked at the take-out and personal
boats are transported to the put-in by an outfitter who has access.
Fee-based guided trips
To make river recreation compatible with endangered species protection, we are exploring several options for the upper reaches of the Nisqually River. Please
share your thoughts on these options.
Very High Value
High Value
Neutral
Low Value
Very Low Value
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Issues and Barriers (65/146respondents)
ParticipantswereaskedopenendedquestionsoniftherewereanybarriersorissuestotheiruseoftheNisquallyRiver.Inadditiontheywereaskediftheyhadanythingelsetheywouldliketoshare.Themostcommonresponseswerelackofaccess,needformoreinformation,andsafetyconcerns.Belowisasummarizedlistoftheresponses:
• Needmoreaccess• Needmoreinformation• Concernaboutsafety(logjams,sharpobjectsintheriver,fastmovingwater,unskilled
users)• Litter• Powerplanttake-out-needmoreroom• Crime• Lackofplacestofish• Needbetterdriftboataccess• Needmoreparkingattrailheads• Addressdisrespectofprivatepropertyandcreateapprovedhauloutareasthatdonot
conflictwithprivateproperty• Gettingaroundthediversiondam• Jetboats/speedboatstooclosetootherboaters• Lackofenforcement
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• Poaching• NotenoughroomforparkingatMcKenna• Needareasforkidstoexplore• Roughshuttleroad• Behaviorissueswithotherusers(rudeness,aggressiveness,alcoholuse)• Focusonlandbasedactivitiesintheupperreach• Reestablishtake-outattankcrossingpermitsfromFtLewis• Keepitthewayitis• Removethedams• Archaeologicalsitesprotection• ReopenLuhrbeachfishingpierforfishing• Needbathrooms
Values
Participantswereaskedaseriesofquestionsonwhattheirvalueswere.
OverallValueRating(113/146respondents)
Surveyrespondentsratedecological,recreationalandculturalvalueshighest.
ValueRatingoftheReachesbyBoaters(70/146respondents)
0 1 2 3 4
Economic Value (logging, non-timber forest products, agriculture, tourism, drinking water,
etc)
Subsistence Value (hunting areas, firewood, gathering berries/mushrooms, etc)
Education Value (outdoor classroom, etc)
Spiritual/Aesthetic Value (viewpoints, waterfalls etc)
Cultural and Historic Values (tribal history, heritage sites, homesteads, etc)
Recreation Value (hiking, boating, wildlife watching, etc.)
Ecological Values (wetlands, old growth, endangered species habitat, etc)
What do you see as the highest value(s) of the Nisqually River Watershed?
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Participantsratedtherecreationandaestheticqualitiesofthereachestheyhadboatedorfloated.NisquallytoMcKennaPark,McKennaParktothePowerhouse,andLuhrBeachtotheNisquallyDelta
wereratedhighest.
ValueRatingbyActivities(109/146responses)
Participantsratedwalking/hiking,wildlifeandbirdwatching,outdooreducation,boatingand
photographyasthehighestvaluedactivities.
UniqueQualities(48/146respondents)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Nis
qual
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tate
Par
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Par
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McK
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Par
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Pow
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Pow
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e 6t
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e A
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6th
Ave
Acc
ess
Site
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Luh
r B
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Luhr
Bea
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McA
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Please rate your experiences with the following reaches based on the recreational and aesthetic qualities of the experience.
Outstanding
Good
Neutral
Fair
Poor
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Please rate the following activities for their recreational and educational experiences along the Nisqually River.
Very High Value
High Value
Neutral
Low Value
Very Low Value
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SurveyrespondentswereaskedtodescribetheuniqueopportunitiesthattheNisquallyRiveroffered.Thisopenendedquestionprovideddiverseresponses,themostcommonthemeswere:
• awildriverthatisprotected,unspoiled,natural• culturalimportanceandconnectiontotheNisquallyIndianTribe• closetohome• qualityoftherecreationalexperiencesoffered
Economic Activity
Expenditures(102/146respondents)
Respondentsreportedtheamountofmoneytheyspentontheirlasttrip;themostcommonresponses
were:$6-$25,$26-$50,and$61-$75.
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CommunitiesVisitorsStoppedandSpentMoneyat(102/146respondents)
ThetoptownssurveyrespondentsspentmoneyinwereYelm,Eatonville,andLacey.
Demographics
WhereDoYouLive?(108/146respondents)
SurveyparticipantsallcamefromWashingtonStatewiththemajoritylessthanatwohourdriveaway.ThemostcommonresponseswereOlympia,Yelm,Eatonville,andtheSeattlearea.
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Age(112/146respondents)
Theagedistributionoftheparticipantsisshownbelow.
6%7%
8%
6%
2%
18%
5%
3%3%
6%
12%
24%
Ashford
Seaflearea
Eatonville
Lacey
NisquallyReservagon
Olympia
Puyallup
Rainier
Roy
Tacoma
Yelm
Other
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Gender(112/146respondents)
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