**Recreation Evaluation of the Multiple Purpose Reservoir for the East
Locust Creek Watershed, Missouri**

The evaluation of recreation benefits for water resources planning is
guided by the Principles and Guidelines (P&G 1983), which outlines three
methodologies for calculating recreation benefits. The unit day value
method is used in this study due to the time constraints and lack of
sufficient data for utilizing the other methodologies. Due to the rise
in research that has been conducted since the P&G guidelines were
published in 1983, the Forest Service has released a meta analysis that
updates the user day values from P&G (Rosenberger and Loomis 2001). In
order to provide the most accurate estimate of recreation benefits the
meta analysis user day values are combined with the P&G unit day value
method.

According to surveys conducted by the Missouri Department of Natural
Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation there is an unmet
need for the types of recreation that would be provided by a multiple
purpose reservoir in the East Locust Creek Watershed. The 1990 Missouri
Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) indicates that
52 and 24 percent of adult Missourian's fish and hunt respectively (MDNR
1991). This compares with Missouri Department of Conservation's Seven
Cities Survey which shows 53 percent fish and 20 percent hunt (MDC
1990). The most recent Missouri SCORP identified that the results of the
data collection and analysis indicate there is still an overwhelming
need for additional outdoor recreation facilities and lands in Missouri
(MDNR 2003).

Survey results of the Missouri SCORP also deduce that more fishing
opportunities was the number one facility/activity most desired by
residents, and more lakes was the second facility/activity desired.
Regarding traveling distances, the Missouri SCORP found that most
fishing/hunting trips were within one hour from home and lasted one day
or less (MDNR 1991). MDC's Seven Cities Survey found that 58 percent of
respondents wanted more fishing and 39 percent more hunting
opportunities within 20 minutes from home (MDC 1990).

The methodology for estimating recreation benefits for the proposed
multiple purpose reservoir in East Locust Creek Watershed follows five
steps.

1.  Calculate recreation demand in annual user days

2.  Calculate existing recreation supply in annual user days

3.  Compare 1 and 2 to determine any unmet recreation needs

4.  Calculate recreation supply of proposed reservoir in annual user
    days

5.  Apply user day values to calculate average annual monetary benefits

**Step 1: Calculate recreation demand in annual user days**

According to the MDC and MDNR surveys cited above, it is most likely
that people within 25 miles of the proposed reservoir will utilize the
recreation facilities at the proposed reservoir. There are 35,340 people
that live within 25 miles of the proposed reservoir. Table 1 lists the
counties and associated populations within a 25 mile radius of the
proposed reservoir.

+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Table 1: County populations      |                                   |
| within 25 miles of the proposed  |                                   |
| reservoir                        |                                   |
|                                  |                                   |
| Source: US Bureau of Census 2000 |                                   |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| County                           | Population                        |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Putnam                           | 5,118                             |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Schuyler                         | 417                               |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Adair                            | 11,239                            |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Linn                             | 4,126                             |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Sullivan                         | 7,219                             |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Grundy                           | 4,172                             |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Mercer                           | 1,690                             |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Wayne, IA                        | 673                               |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Appanoose, IA                    | 686                               |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Total                            | 35,340                            |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

The 1991 Missouri SCORP provides details of the participation rates of
Missourians in various recreation activities and an estimate of user
days per activity. This information is combined with the population
information in Table 1 to determine the annual user days demanded by the
relevant population for the main recreation activities planned at the
proposed reservoir. This calculation shows that there are 712,228 annual
user days of recreation demanded. Table 2 shows the participation rates
and user days used to calculate the annual user days demanded by
recreation activity.

+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| Table 2: Annual     |            |            |          |          |
| user days demanded  |            |            |          |          |
| by the relevant     |            |            |          |          |
| population          |            |            |          |          |
|                     |            |            |          |          |
| Source: MDNR 1991   |            |            |          |          |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| Activity            | Percent    | Total      | User     | Annual   |
|                     | Par        | Par        | Days     | User     |
|                     | ticipation | ticipation |          | Days     |
|                     |            |            | (MDNR    | Demanded |
|                     | (MDNR      |            | 1991)    |          |
|                     | 1991)      |            |          |          |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| fishing             | 52.2%      | 18,447     | 8.1      | 149,425  |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| motor boating       | 34.1%      | 12,051     | 4.2      | 50,614   |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| hunting             | 23.9%      | 8,446      | 3.7      | 31,251   |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| developed camping   | 27.0%      | 9,542      | 2.2      | 20,992   |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| primitive camping   | 14.4%      | 5,089      | 0.6      | 3,053    |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| water skiing        | 16.1%      | 5,690      | 1.3      | 7,397    |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| hiking              | 27.0%      | 9,542      | 3.4      | 32,442   |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| biking              | 21.8%      | 7,704      | 6.8      | 52,388   |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| picnicking          | 63.1%      | 22,300     | 4.8      | 107,038  |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| bird                | 22.3%      | 7,881      | 5.3      | 41,768   |
| watching/nature     |            |            |          |          |
| study               |            |            |          |          |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| swimming            | 52.1%      | 18,412     | 11.4     | 209,898  |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| canoeing            | 21.3%      | 7,527      | 0.8      | 6,022    |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+
| Total               |            |            |          | 712,288  |
+---------------------+------------+------------+----------+----------+

**Step 2: Calculate existing recreation supply in annual user days**

There are seven recreation facilities with lakes within the 25 mile
radius of the proposed reservoir. The facilities range in size and in
the recreation opportunities that are available. Since the recreation
opportunities vary among facilities and the demand for different
recreation activities varies it is important to break down the analysis
to assess the user days supplied for each activity at each facility.
This provides a more complete assessment of the current supply of each
recreation activity in the region versus the demand for each recreation
activity (provided in Step 1).

The seven recreation facilities and the recreation activities they
supply are (MDC 1995);

Elmwood Lake- Located in Sullivan County near Milan. Activities
supported: primitive camping, boat ramps, hunting, fishing, and bird
watching/nature study.

Sears Community Lake- Located in Sullivan County approximately 1.5 miles
south of Boynton. Activities supported: primitive camping, fishing,
hiking, canoeing, and bird watching/nature study.

Green City Lake- Located in Sullivan County two miles east of Green
City. Activities supported: primitive camping, boat ramps and fishing.

Thousand Hills State Park (TH SP)- Located in Adair County approximately
two miles west of Kirksville and contains Forest Lake. Activities
supported: fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, developed camping, water
skiing, biking, bird watching/nature study, and picnic areas.

Hazel Creek Lake- Located in Adair County 2.5 miles northeast of
Kirksville. Activities supported: boat ramps, hunting, fishing, and bird
watching/nature study.

Unionville City Lake- Located in Putnam County one mile northwest on
Unionville. Activities supported: picnic areas, boat ramps, fishing,
trails, hiking, and bird watching/nature study.

Milan City Lake (Old Reservoir)- Located in Sullivan County just east of
Milan. Activities supported: fishing.

Uhlig (1980) provides a methodology for calculating annual user days by
dividing the maximum daily design capacity of the facility by a Sunday
use factor (0.0231). The daily design capacity is determined by using a
relationship between the size of the lake and the number of parking
spaces available. From this relationship it is assumed there are 4
people per car and each space is used twice per day. Using this
methodology the total annual user days supplied by the seven recreation
facilities is 52,710 (Table 3).

+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Table 3:    |      |              |                   |            |
| Calculation |      |              |                   |            |
| of existing |      |              |                   |            |
| recreation  |      |              |                   |            |
| supply in   |      |              |                   |            |
| annual user |      |              |                   |            |
| days        |      |              |                   |            |
|             |      |              |                   |            |
| Source:     |      |              |                   |            |
| Uhlig 1980  |      |              |                   |            |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Facility    | Size | Parking      | People/day        | Annual     |
|             | (ac  | spaces       |                   | User Days  |
|             | res) |              | (max daily design | Supplied   |
|             |      |              | capacity)         |            |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Elmwood     | 220  | 22           | 176               | 7,619      |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Sears       | 19   | 2            | 15                | 658        |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Green City  | 60   | 6            | 48                | 2,078      |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| TH SP       | 573  | 57           | 458               | 19,844     |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Hazel Creek | 515  | 52           | 412               | 17,835     |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Unionville  | 85   | 9            | 68                | 2,944      |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Milan       | 50   | 5            | 40                | 1,732      |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+
| Total       |      |              |                   | 52,710     |
+-------------+------+--------------+-------------------+------------+

To determine the annual user days supplied by each recreation activity
the total annual user days for each facility are proportionally
distributed between the activities available at that facility. The
proportions are determined using the Missouri 1991 SCORP information on
user days per activity. The details of annual user days per activity at
each facility are provided in Appendix A. Table 4 shows the distribution
of annual user days per activity supplied by all the recreation
facilities.

  -------------------------------------------- --------------------------
  Table 4: Summary of annual user days         
  supplied by activity                         

  Activity                                     Annual User Days Supplied

  Fishing                                      17,238

  Motor boating                                7,888

  Hunting                                      4,385

  Developed camping                            919

  Primitive camping                            327

  Water skiing                                 543

  Hiking                                       1,931

  Biking                                       2,841

  Picnicking                                   2,553

  Bird watching/nature study                   9,292

  Swimming                                     4,763

  Canoeing                                     29

  Total                                        52,710
  -------------------------------------------- --------------------------

**Step 3: Compare Step 1 and Step 2 to determine any unmet recreation
needs**

Before calculating the recreation that the proposed reservoir will
supply, it is important to determine that the recreation demand is not
currently being met by the existing recreation facilities. Step 1
determined that the annual user day demand for recreation is 712,288.
Step 2 determined that the current annual user day supply for recreation
is 52,710. Thus, there is currently an unmet demand for recreation of
659,578 annual user days. Since the proposed reservoir will provide a
variety of recreation activities, this analysis is taken one step
farther in order to ensure that there is demand for those specific
activities. Table 5 shows that each of the proposed recreation
activities do have unmet demand that the proposed reservoir will be able
to address.

  ------------------------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
  Table 5: Unmet demand for                                   
  recreation by activity                                      

  Activity                        Annual user   Annual user   Un-met demand
                                  days supplied days demanded 

  Fishing                         17,238        149,425       132,187

  Motor boating                   7,888         50,614        42,726

  Hunting                         4,385         31,251        26,866

  Developed camping               919           20,992        20,073

  Primitive camping               327           3,053         2,726

  Water skiing                    543           7.397         6,854

  Hiking                          1,931         32,442        30,511

  Biking                          2,841         52,388        49,547

  Picnicking                      2,553         107,038       104,485

  Bird watching/nature study      9,292         41,768        32,476

  Swimming                        4,763         209,898       205,136

  Canoeing                        29            6,022         5,993

  Total                           52,710        712,288       659,578
  ------------------------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

**Step 4: Calculate recreation supply of proposed reservoir in annual
user days**

The previous steps show that there is unmet demand for recreation in the
surrounding area of the proposed reservoir in the East Locust Creek
Watershed. On February 15, 2005 NRCS hosted a meeting to discuss
potential recreation components for the proposed reservoir. Participant
at the meeting included the sponsors, NRCS state office staff,
representatives from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and
representatives from the Missouri Department of Recreation, Parks
Division (MDNR) (NRCS 2005). During that meeting MDNR representatives
provided some recommendations for the number and size of facilities that
would suit a lake of this size (the proposed lake is approximately 2,300
acres). One of the recommendations was for two parking lots associated
with two identified access areas. Each parking lot should have spaces
for 40 cars and trailers. Considering a car and trailer as two spaces,
the total parking spaces recommended at these two parking areas is 160.
Additional parking is provided for the four proposed bank fishing areas.
Each area will provide 12 parking spaces. Therefore, the total number of
parking spaces provided is 208. Utilizing the relationships developed by
Uhlig (1980) as used in Step 2, 208 parking spaces translates into
72,035 annual user days that the proposed reservoir will supply.

208 spaces \* 4 people per car \* 2 cars per space per day = 1664 people
per day

1664 people per day represent the daily design capacity

Daily design capacity / Sunday factor (0.0231) = Annual User days

The supply of 72,035 user days by the proposed reservoir is proportioned
to the various recreation activities the proposed reservoir will provide
by the same methodology in Step 2 (Table 6).

  ----------------------------- -------------- ------------ --------------
  Table 6: Annual user days                                 
  supplied by the proposed                                  
  reservoir by activity                                     

  Activity                      User Days      Proportion   Annual User
                                (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Fishing                       8.1            15.4%        11,093

  Motor boating                 4.2            8.0%         5,752

  Hunting                       3.7            7.0%         5,067

  Developed camping             2.2            4.2%         3,013

  Primitive camping             0.6            1.1%         822

  Water skiing                  1.3            2.5%         1,780

  Hiking                        3.4            6.5%         4,656

  Biking                        6.8            12.9%        9,312

  Picnicking                    4.8            9.1%         6,574

  Bird watching/nature study    5.3            10.1%        7,258

  Swimming                      11.4           21.7%        15,612

  Canoeing                      0.8            1.5%         1,096

  Total                         52.6           100.0%       72,035
  ----------------------------- -------------- ------------ --------------

**Step 5: Apply user day values to calculate average annual monetary
benefits**

In 2001 the US Forest Service released a meta analysis of recreation
literature that spans 1967 to 1998. The analysis covers 21 different
recreation activities. There are 163 different studies referenced
providing 760 benefit measures (Rosenberger and Loomis 2001). This
analysis provides the most complete and updated resource for applying
benefits to user day values. For this analysis the benefit transfer of
applicable user day values from the meta analysis is used to calculate
the monetary recreation benefits of the proposed reservoir.

Using the benefit transfer method, the average annual recreation
benefits of the proposed reservoir are \$2,092,000. Each activity is
assigned a user day value transferred from the meta analysis specific to
that activity. Those specific and unique values are then multiplied by
the annual user days the proposed reservoir will supply from Step 4 to
get the total monetary benefit per activity (Table 7).

  ----------------------------- -------------- -------------- -------------
  Table 7: Average annual                                     
  monetary benefits of the                                    
  proposed reservoir                                          

  Activity                      Annual user    User day value Monetary
                                days           (benefit       Benefit
                                               transfer)      

  Fishing                       11,093         \$28.97        \$321,358

  Motor boating                 5,752          \$24.37        \$140,172

  Hunting                       5,067          \$30.82        \$156,167

  Developed camping             3,013          \$26.34        \$79,359

  Primitive camping             822            \$26.34        \$21,643

  Water skiing                  1,780          \$19.54        \$34,788

  Hiking                        4,656          \$30.14        \$140,339

  Biking                        9,312          \$45.15        \$420,458

  Picnicking                    6,574          \$27.66        \$181,823

  Bird watching/nature study    7,258          \$29.57        \$214,626

  Swimming                      15,612         \$21.08        \$329,102

  Canoeing                      1,096          \$47.68        \$52,237

  Total                         72,035                        \$2,092,072
  ----------------------------- -------------- -------------- -------------

**References**

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). *7-City Survey Results*.
1990. 20pp.

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). *Missouri's Conservation
Atlas: A Guide to Exploring Your Conservation Lands*. 1995.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). *Missouri* *Statewide
Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)*. 1991.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). *Missouri Statewide
Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) 2002-2007*. 2003.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). *Meeting to Discuss
Potential Recreational Components for the Proposed Rural Water Supply
Reservoir (RW-1)- East Locust Creek Watershed, Sullivan County,
Missouri*. February 15, 2005. Location: USDA-NRCS State Office Columbia,
Missouri.

Rosenberger, Randall S.; Loomis, John B. *Benefit Transfer of Outdoor
Recreation Use Values: A Technical Document Supporting the Forest
Service Strategic Plan (2000) Revision)*. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-72.
Fort Collins, CO: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky
Mountain Research Station. 2001. 59pp.

Uhlig, Hans G. *An Analysis of the Recreation Use of Recreation
Developments in PL-566 Watersheds*. USDA Soil Conservation Service.
1980.

US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. *Census of the
Population 2000*.

US Water Resources Council (USWRC). *Economic and Environmental
Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources
Implementation Sudies (P&G)*. 1983.

**Appendix A**

The following seven tables (A1-A7) provide the details of annual user
days per activity at each facility. These calculations are part of Step
2 of the recreation analysis for the proposed reservoir in the East
Locust Creek Watershed.

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 1A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Elmwood Lake                               

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Primitive camping              0.6            2.7%         209

  Motor boating                  4.2            19.2%        1,461

  Hunting                        3.7            16.9%        1,287

  Fishing                        8.1            37.0%        2,818

  Bird watching/nature study     5.3            24.2%        1,844

  Total                          21.9           100.0%       7,619
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 2A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Sears Lake                                 

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Primitive camping              0.6            3.3%         22

  Fishing                        8.1            44.5%        293

  Hiking                         3.4            18.7%        123

  Canoeing                       0.8            4.4%         29

  Bird watching/nature study     5.3            29.1%        192

  Total                          18.2           100.0%       658
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 3A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Green City                                 
  Lake                                                       

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Primitive camping              0.6            4.7%         97

  Motor boating                  4.2            32.6%        677

  Fishing                        8.1            62.8%        1,305

  Total                          12.9           100.0%       2,078
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 4A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Thousand Hills                             
  State Park                                                 

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Fishing                        8.1            17.1%        3,384

  Swimming                       11.4           24.0%        4,763

  Motor boating                  4.2            8.8%         1,755

  Hiking                         3.4            7.2%         1,420

  Developed camping              2.2            4.6%         919

  Water skiing                   1.3            2.7%         543

  Biking                         6.8            14.3%        2,841

  Bird watching/nature study     5.3            11.2%        2,214

  Picnicking                     4.8            10.1%        2,005

  Total                          47.5           100.0%       19,844
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 5A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Hazel Creek                                
  Lake                                                       

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Motor boating                  4.2            19.7%        3,517

  Hunting                        3.7            17.4%        3,098

  Fishing                        8.1            38.0%        6,783

  Bird watching/nature study     5.3            24.9%        4,438

  Total                          21.3           100.0%       17,835
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 6A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Unionville                                 
  Lake                                                       

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Picnicking                     4.8            18.6%        548

  Motor boating                  4.2            16.3%        479

  Fishing                        8.1            31.4%        924

  Hiking                         3.4            13.2%        388

  Bird watching/nature study     5.3            20.5%        605

  Total                          25.8           100.0%       2,944
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------

  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------
  Table 7A: User days supplied                               
  per activity at Milan City                                 
  Lake                                                       

  Activity                       User days      Proportion   Annual User
                                 (MDNR 1991)                 Days

  Fishing                        8.1            100.0%       1,732
  ------------------------------ -------------- ------------ ------------