Recreational Impacts of Coastal Restoration Projects

CNREP Presentation

Joseph Berlin

May 28, 2010

Recreational Impacts were Estimated for Three Projects

White Ditch Sediment Diversion

Atchafalaya Conveyance Freshwater Diversion

MRGO Ecosystem Restoration

White Ditch Sediment Diversion

East Bank of Plaquemines Parish

One Feature Four Alternatives by

size Smallest Study Area

Atchafalaya Conveyance Freshwater Diversion

Northern Lafourche Parish

Several Features Features combined

into Seven Alternatives

MRGO Ecosystem Restoration Plaquemines, St.

Bernard, and Orleans Parishes; Hancock County

Many Features Features Combined

into Multiple Alternatives

Six Steps to Corps Planning Process Identify Problems and Opportunities Inventory and Forecast Conditions Formulate Alternative Plans Evaluate Alternative Plans – Current

Phase Compare Alternative Plans Select a Plan

Stages of a Federal Project Reconnaissance Study Feasibility Study Preconstruction Engineering and Design Construction Operation and Maintenance

Feasibility Study Includes Alternative Selection Incidental Recreation Benefits are included in

Feasibility Study Documents Incidental Recreation Benefits do not affect

Alternative Selection

Three Approved Procedures to Measure Economic Benefits of Recreation Travel Cost Method

Requires Detailed Data for Travel Expenses / Travel Distances

Contingent Valuation Requires Surveys of Recreational Users for

Willingness to Pay

Three Approved Procedures to Measure Economic Benefits of Recreation

Unit Day Values Based Upon Specified Criteria to Determine Value

of Recreation Day General Recreation - $3.54 to $10.63 per day Specialized Recreation - $14.40 to $42.09

Estimation of Unit Day Value Hunting and Fishing

can be either Generalized or Specialized Recreation

Number of Possible Activities Impacts Values

Must Account for Net Value Transfer from One Area to Another

Criteria for Estimating Unit Day Values Recreation Experience

Number of Activities Availability of

Opportunity Carrying Capacity Accessibility Environmental

Esthetics

Data Sources Used To Estimate the Value of User Days Freshwater Discharges from the Davis Pond

and Caernarvon Diversions Salinity Measurements LaDWF Creel Surveys

Target Species – Fish Sought Fish Caught – Number and Size Perception

Waterfowl Aerial Survey by Cross Section

Creel Fishing Surveys

Intercept Survey Performed by LaDWF

Species Sought Several Species

Dominate Speckled Trout and Red

Drum (Saltwater) Largemouth Bass

(Freshwater) Species Caught -

Number and Size Perception of Trip

Data Sources Used To Estimate the Number of User Days Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor

Recreation Plan (SCORP) Department of Wildlife and Fisheries License

Data Hunting and Fishing Licenses Boat Registration

DWF Registry of Boat Launches (Location and Size)

Process of Estimating Benefits A Focus Group was Held for Each Project to Obtain

Expert Opinions Various Interest Groups Participated in Focus

Groups Sportsmen Conservation Groups Government Agencies Major Landowners

Project Details were presented to the Focus Group Restoration Measures were Explained Alternatives were not Available

Focus Group Findings

There are Many Potential Impacts on Recreational Fishing

Recreational Users are not Flexible about Activities Hunting and Fishing Remain the Primary

Recreation Activities Little expectation of changing Target Fish Species

Hunting and Wildlife Watching are Seasonal

Activities

Specific Conclusions From Focus Groups Oyster Reefs are

Important to Recreational Fishing

Floating Marsh is Important to Waterfowl Hunting

Floodgate Operation is Important to Marina Operators

Coastal Restoration Issues Impacting Recreation Benefits Freshwater Diversions Impact Recreational

Fishing Freshwater and Saltwater Species Coexist in the

Same Areas Waterfowl Hunting is Highly Variable

between Years Waterfowl are Impacted by Turbidity, not Salinity

Difficulties in Estimating Impacts Wildlife Watching is Difficult to Measure

Seasonal Migrating Birds Number of Users in Study Area is Difficult to

Determine Users can Shift Between Areas Most Areas in Coastal Louisiana have

Proposed Restoration Projects

Recreation Benefits ModelAtchafalaya Conveyance Results Alt 1 – Utilize Flow Management to Maximize

Benefits of Existing Flow Alt 2 - Increase Atchafalaya Inflows and

Utilize Flow Management Alt 3 – Grand Bayou Pump and Utilize Flow

Management

Recreation Benefits ModelAtchafalaya Conveyance Results Alt 4 – Increase Atchafalaya Inflows, Grand

Bayou Pump and Utilize Flow Management Alt 5 - Increase Atchafalaya Inflows, and

Utilize Grand Bayou Dredging Alt 6 – Houma Navigation Lock Management

Recreation Benefits ModelAtchafalaya Conveyance Preliminary Results

Without Project

Alternative 1

Alternative 2

Alternative 3

Alternative 4

Alternative 5

Alternative 6

Net present Value

$0 $2,077,000 $2,799,000 $1,588,000 $1,505,000 $252,000 $190,000

Annualized $0 $102,505 $138,137 $78,371 $74,275 $12,437 $9,377

Recreation Benefits ModelWhite Ditch Results

Alt 1 – 5,000 c.f.s. Diversion Alt 2 – 10,000 c.f.s. Diversion Alt 3 – 15,000 c.f.s. Diversion Alt 4 – 35,000 c.f.s. Diversion

Recreation Benefits ModelWhite Ditch Preliminary Results

Without Project

Alternative 1

Alternative 2

Alternative 3

Alternative 4

Net present Value

$0 $1,206,000 $1,278,000 $1,421,000 $853,000

Annualized $0 $57,284 $60,704 $67,496 $40,517

Recreation Benefits ModelConclusion Provides a Consistent Method of Measuring

Impacts Uses Standardized Values for Recreation

Days Annualizes Benefits over Project Period Based Upon National Economic

Development (NED) Procedures Increase in User Welfare