Niagara Power Project FERC No. 2216

RECREATIONAL FACILITY USE AND CAPACITY INVESTIGATION

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Prepared for: New York Power Authority

Prepared by: Kleinschmidt Associates

August 2005

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Copyright © 2005 New York Power Authority

PREFACE

This report summarizes results from a Recreational Facility Use and Capacity Investigation conducted for the Niagara Power Project (FERC No. 2216). The report was developed by Kleinschmidt Associates based on recreation data collected from April 2002 through March 2003. This work was conducted in accordance with a study plan developed in March 2002 in cooperation with the Niagara Project Relicensing Team (which consists of technical and relicensing staff from the New York Power Authority; URS Corporation; Gomez and Sullivan Engineers, P.C.; and E/PRO Engineering and Environmental Consulting, LLC.), and discussions with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The information presented in this report provides an estimate of recreational use at the Niagara Power Project and adjacent recreation facilities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Twenty-nine recreation sites in the vicinity of the Niagara Power Project were investigated for information on recreational use and capacity. The investigation included sites located both within and outside the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Project boundary. Information collected during the investigation was used to document existing conditions.

The investigation included a combination of secondary and primary data collection techniques. Secondary data on recreational use and capacity was compiled for sites managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP), as well as several municipal facilities. Primary field data were collected for sites where there was little or no existing information on recreational use. Primary data collection relied on roving instantaneous counts supplemented with occasional longer-duration user observations at 19 recreation sites. The investigation extended from April 2002 through March 2003. The investigation was closely coordinated with creel survey work being conducted by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) along the lower Niagara River.

Results from the Recreational Facility Use and Capacity Investigation indicate that, on an annual basis, the recreational facilities included in the investigation accommodate approximately 8.8 million recreation days. The majority of this use (7.6 million recreation days) is associated with Niagara Falls and the Niagara Reservation State Park. Other heavily used facilities include Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park, Reservoir State Park, Beaver Island State Park, as well as Niawanda, and Isle View Parks. Use within the FERC project boundary accounts for a relatively small percentage (less than 1 percent) of the estimated annual study area use.

Most of the recreational activity in the study area occurs during the summer months. Approximately 80 percent of the observed activity, based on primary data collection, involved shoreline use, while the remaining 20 percent involved boating activity. Of all shoreline recreation observed during the survey, the predominant activities were angling (33 percent), sightseeing (27 percent), and trail use (20 percent). Shoreline and boating activities varied, depending on the site and the time of year.

Overall, sites are not being used at or above capacity, with the exception of a few particularly popular sites, which were observed at or above 100 percent capacity during certain times of the year. Capacity issues (in terms of parking) were observed at three sites, one along the Upper River and two along the Lower River. Sites where use was frequently observed to be in excess of 100 percent of existing capacity were Ontario Street, Lewiston Landing, and Fort Niagara Boat Launch. All three of these sites offer boat access to the river and received heavy boating use, particularly during the summer months. Youngstown Boat Launch also exhibited high utilization as a percent of existing capacity (frequently in excess of 90 percent). This site did not necessarily receive heavy recreation pressure, but it is a small site with very limited existing parking (thus capacity is easily exceeded). Use at the remaining sites was well below capacity.

Most of the heavy-use sites are located outside the Project boundary. Sites within the Project (Upper Trail, Upper River Observation Area, Lewiston Reservoir, Robert Moses Parkway and Robert Moses Fishing Pier) generally received light recreation pressure. Average August weekend use at these sites was generally less than 5 vehicles at one time. None of th