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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.

5

Boaters

Boaters/Floaters(130/146respondents)

SixtypercentofrespondentshadboatedorfloatedtheNisquallyRiver.Thisquestionthencreatedtwotracks;boaterswereaskedaseriesofadditionalquestionsontheiruseandpreferencesandnon-boaterswereaskedwhytheyhadnotyetboated/floatedtheNisquallyRiver.

ReachesVisitedbyTimeofYear(70/146respondents)

6

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%

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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)