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Lake user surveys in West Virginia

Lake user surveys in West Virginia . Evan Hansen West Virginia Rivers Coalition November 3, 2004. Designated uses in W.Va. A: Public water supply B: Propagation and maintenance of fish and other aquatic life B1: Warm water fishery streams B2: Trout waters C: Water contact recreation.

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Lake user surveys in West Virginia

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  1. Lake user surveysin West Virginia Evan Hansen West Virginia Rivers Coalition November 3, 2004

  2. Designated uses in W.Va. • A: Public water supply • B: Propagation and maintenance of fish and other aquatic life • B1: Warm water fishery streams • B2: Trout waters • C: Water contact recreation

  3. Water contact recreation “This category includes swimming, fishing, water skiing and certain types of pleasure boating such as sailing in very small craft and outboard motor boats.”

  4. User surveys are necessary • Do people perceive the effects of excess nutrients? • Do people find lake water quality good for swimming, boating, and fishing?

  5. Summer lake monitoring program • 13 lakes across W.Va. • Each month, collect • Chemical and physical data • User surveys • All data collected on same day, so criteria calculations can incorporate user perceptions

  6. Similar approach in Minnesota and Vermont • Heiskary, Steven A and W.W. Walker, Jr. 1995. Establishing a chlorophyll a goal for a run-of-the-river reservoir. Lake and Reservoir Management. 11(1):67-76. • Smeltzer, E. and S. Heiskary. 1990. Analysis and application of lake survey data. Lake and Reservoir Management. 6(1):109-118. • Heiskary, Steven A. 1989. Lake Assessment Program: A cooperative lake study program. Lake and Reservoir Management.5(1):85-94. • Heiskary, Steven A and W.W. Walker, Jr. 1988. Developing phosphorus criteria for Minnesota lakes. Lake and Reservoir Management. 4:1-9.

  7. Physical condition(Smeltzer and Heiskary, 1990) Please circle the one number that best describes the physical condition of the lake water today. 1. Crystal clear water 2. Not quite crystal clear, a little algae visible 3. Definite algal greenness, yellowness, or brownness apparent 4. High algal levels with limited clarity and/or mild odor apparent 5. Severely high algal levels with one or more of the following: massive floating scums on lake or washed up on shore, strong foul odor, or fish kill

  8. Physical condition(W.Va., summer 2004) On a scale of one to five, what is the condition of the lake water today? “One” means the lake water is very clear today, and “five” means the lake water is very murky today. Very clear Very murky 1 2 3 4 5

  9. Suitability for recreation(Smeltzer and Heiskary, 1990) Please circle the one number that best describes your opinion on how suitable the lake water is for recreation and aesthetic enjoyment today. 1. Beautiful, could not be any nicer 2. Very minor aesthetic problems; excellent for swimming, boating, enjoyment 3. Swimming and aesthetic enjoyment slightly impaired because of algae levels 4. Desire to swim and level of enjoyment of the lake substantially reduced because of algae levels 5. Swimming and aesthetic enjoyment of the lake nearly impossible because of algae levels

  10. Suitability for recreation(W.Va., summer 2004) The next set of questions pertain to lake water quality. Please focus your responses on the lake water. On a scale of one to five, please describe your opinion the quality of the lake water today. “One” means the lake water is as nice as can be today, and “five” means the lake water is very poor today. Please rate the lake water quality for each category that I read. Swimming As nice as can be Very poor 1 2 3 4 5 Same question for (a) Fishing, (b) Boating, and (c) Hiking, camping, or enjoying the lake from the shore.

  11. How user surveys were analyzed for Lake Champlain (Smeltzer and Heiskary, 1990)

  12. (Chose 25 ug/L for Lake Champlain)

  13. (Chose 6 ug/L for Lake Champlain)

  14. Preliminary results from first month in W.Va.

  15. What about P? • Many surface P measurements were below MDL, so similar graphs cannot be made. • If P continues to be consistently below MDL, then it may be difficult to use this method to derive P criteria.

  16. Timeline for lake criteria (if they are to be adopted in 2005) • Data collection ended in October • Data analysis to begin now • Nutrient Criteria Committee decision late 2004 • Environmental Quality Board decision late 2004 • W.Va. Legislature approval early 2005

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