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Susitna‐Watana Hydroelectric Project Document
ARLIS Uniform Cover Page
Title:
Recreation resources study, Study plan Section 12.5, 2014 Study
Implementation Report. [ Main report ] SuWa 289
Author(s) – Personal:
Author(s) – Corporate:
AECOM
AEA‐identified category, if specified:
November 2015; Study Completion and 2014/2015 Implementation Reports
AEA‐identified series, if specified:
Series (ARLIS‐assigned report number):
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project document
number 289
Existing numbers on document:
Published by:
[Anchorage : Alaska Energy Authority, 2015]
Date published:
November 2015
Published for:
Alaska Energy Authority
Date or date range of report:
Volume and/or Part numbers:
Study plan Section 12.5
Final or Draft status, as indicated:
Document type:
Pagination:
Main section only: 13 pages
Total (including both volumes): 608 pages
Related works(s):
Attachment 1. Technical memorandum - Trails
assessment and classification
Attachment 2. Technical memorandum -
Recreation use demand assessment
Pages added/changed by ARLIS:
Notes:
Contents of the main report (this electronic file):
Introduction -- Study objectives -- Study area -- Methods and variances in 2014 -- Results --
Discussion -- Conclusions.
Due to large file sizes, the main report and attachments 1 and 2 appear as three separate
electronic files.
All reports in the Susitna‐Watana Hydroelectric Project Document series include an ARLIS‐
produced cover page and an ARLIS‐assigned number for uniformity and citability. All reports
are posted online at http://www.arlis.org/resources/susitna‐watana/
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project
(FERC No. 14241)
Recreation Resources Study
Study Plan Section 12.5
2014 Study Implementation Report
Prepared for
Alaska Energy Authority
Prepared by
AECOM
November 2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 4
2. Study Objectives .................................................................................................................... 4
3. Study Area .............................................................................................................................. 5
4. Methods and Variances in 2014 ........................................................................................... 6
4.1. Regional Recreation Analysis ........................................................................................ 6
4.1.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 6
4.2. Trails ............................................................................................................................... 6
4.2.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 6
4.3. Recreation Use Areas ..................................................................................................... 7
4.3.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 7
4.4. Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use ............................................................................ 7
4.4.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 7
4.5. Recreation Facilities and Carrying Capacity .................................................................. 7
4.5.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 7
4.6. Survey Data Collection .................................................................................................. 7
4.6.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 7
4.7. Geographic Information System (GIS) Maps and Figures ............................................. 8
4.7.1. Variances ................................................................................................................. 8
5. Results ..................................................................................................................................... 8
5.1. Regional Recreation Analysis ........................................................................................ 8
5.2. Trails ............................................................................................................................... 8
5.3. Recreation Use Areas ..................................................................................................... 8
5.4. Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use ............................................................................ 9
5.5. Recreation Facilities and Carrying Capacity .................................................................. 9
5.6. Survey Data Collection .................................................................................................. 9
6. Discussion ............................................................................................................................... 9
6.1. Regional Recreation Analysis ........................................................................................ 9
6.2. Trails ............................................................................................................................. 10
6.3. Recreation Use Areas ................................................................................................... 10
6.4. Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use .......................................................................... 10
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6.5. Recreation Facilities and Carrying Capacity ................................................................ 11
6.6. Survey Data Collection ................................................................................................ 11
7. ConclusionS .......................................................................................................................... 11
7.1. Decision Points from Study Plan .................................................................................. 12
8. Figures .................................................................................................................................. 13
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1: Technical Memorandum - Trails Assessment and Classification
Attachment 2: Technical Memorandum - Recreation Use Demand Assessment
2014 STUDY IMPLEMENTATION REPORT RECREATION RESOURCES STUDY (12.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page iii November 2015
LIST OF ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND DEFINITIONS
Abbreviation Definition
ADA Americans with Disability Act
AEA Alaska Energy Authority
ATV all-terrain vehicle
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
GAU generally allowed use
GIS geographic information system
ILP Integrated Licensing Process
ISR Initial Study Report
NRRS Natural Resource Recreation Setting
PRM Project River Mile
RS Revised Statute
RSP Revised Study Plan
SPD Study Plan Determination
USFS United States Forest Service
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1. INTRODUCTION
This Recreation Resources Study, Section 12.5 of the Revised Study Plan (RSP) approved by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project,
FERC Project No. 14241, focuses on identifying recreation resources and activities (by both
visitors to Alaska and Alaska residents) that may be affected by the construction and operation of
the proposed Project, and assessing the potential impacts of Project construction and operation
on those resources and activities. RSP Section 12.5 provides goals, objectives, and proposed
methods for recreation resources data collection and analysis.
A summary of the development of this study, together with the Alaska Energy Authority’s
(AEA) implementation of it through the 2013 study season, appears in Part A, Section 1 of the
Initial Study Report (ISR) filed with FERC in June 2014. As required under FERC’s regulations
for the Integrated Licensing Process (ILP), the ISR describes AEA’s “overall progress in
implementing the study plan and schedule and the data collected, including an explanation of any
variance from the study plan and schedule” (18 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 5.15(c)(1)).
Since filing the ISR in June 2014, AEA has continued to implement the FERC-approved plan for
the Recreation Resources Study. For example:
As described in detail below, AEA completed efforts to identify trails within the
Recreation Use Study Area used for commercial and non-commercial purposes and has
classified and mapped all trails in the immediate Project area to a scale greater than
1:24,000.
As described in detail below, AEA completed survey research, analysis, and modeling
effort used to estimate resident and nonresident use of the Recreation Use Study Area.
On October 23, 2014, AEA held an ISR meeting for the Recreation Use Study.
In furtherance of the next round of ISR meetings and FERC’s Study Plan Determination (SPD)
expected in 2016, this report describes AEA’s overall progress in implementing the Recreation
Resources Study during calendar year 2014. Rather than a comprehensive reporting of all field
work, data collection, and data analysis since the beginning of AEA’s study program, this r eport
is intended to supplement and update the information presented in Part A of the ISR for the
Recreation Resources Study through the end of calendar year 2014. It describes the methods and
results of the 2014 effort, and includes a discussion of the results achieved.
2. STUDY OBJECTIVES
The Recreation Resources Study is designed to identify recreation resources and activities (by
both visitors to Alaska and Alaska residents) that may be affected by the construction and
operation of the proposed Project, and to assess the potential impacts of Project construction and
operation on those resources and activities.
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As set forth in Section 12.5.1 of the RSP, the specific goals of the Recreation Resources Study
are to:
Identify and document recreation resources and facilities that support commercial and
non-commercial recreation in the Project area.
Identify the types and levels of current recreational uses and future reasonably
foreseeable future uses based on surveys and interviews, consultation with licensing
participants, regional and statewide plans, and other data.
Evaluate the potential impacts of Project construction and operation on recreation
resources, needs, and uses in the Project area.
Develop data to inform AEA’s future development of a Recreation Management Plan for
the Project.
3. STUDY AREA
The study areas for the Recreation Resources Study are described in RSP Section 12.5.3. Three
geographic areas are defined and used in this study, as described below.
First, the Recreation Effects Analysis Area is defined as the area proposed to be occupied by
Project facilities as well as the Susitna River upstream to the Denali Highway Bridge and
downstream to Sunshine, and the proposed Project reservoir and some nearby shore lands and
trails surrounding the reservoir location (see Figure 3.0-1). This area includes the proposed
Watana Dam, located on the Susitna River at Project River Mile (PRM) 187 (measured from the
mouth of the river), and the resulting 39-mile long Watana Reservoir. AEA is currently studying
the potential indirect effects of the proposed Project; thus, the lands and trails around the
proposed Project facilities are included in the Recreation Effects Analysis Area as they would
likely receive more use, or induced use as a result of Project development. The Recreation
Effects Analysis Area also includes the proposed access road and transmission line corridors, and
other Project facility locations.
As described in Part C, Section 7.1.2 of the ISR filed with FERC in June 2014, AEA has added
the Denali East Option road and transmission corridor to the study area. With regard to this
study, the proposed modification includes an expansion of the Recreation Effects Analysis Area
by including a 5-mile buffer on the proposed Denali East Option and on new trails identified in
2013 that were found to have a nexus to the Project, notably the Butte Lake Trail and the Goose
Lake Trail.
Second, the Recreation Use Study Area, which includes but is broader than the Recreation
Effects Analysis Area, is defined generally as the area encompassed by the following features:
the Parks Highway corridor, from the “Y” at the Talkeetna Spur Road intersection to Cantwell;
the Denali Highway corridor from Cantwell east to Paxson; west from Paxson along a 2-mile
buffer south of the Denali Highway to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough boundary; areas west of
the Matanuska-Susitna Borough boundary between the Denali and Glenn highways (including
the Lake Louise area); extending west in a line from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough boundary,
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following the Chickaloon River, and connecting to the Y at the Talkeetna Spur Road (see Figure
3.0-1). This includes areas ¼ mile west and ¼ mile north of the highways. The boundaries of the
Recreation Use Study Area are the same as those used for the demand assessment, also referred
to as the Recreation Supply and Demand Analysis Area.
Third, the Recreation Facilities Study Area (see Figure 3.0-1) encompasses a broader area than
the Recreation Use Study Area. The western and northern boundaries (the Parks and Denali
highways, including areas ¼ mile west and ¼ mile north of the highways) are the same as the
Recreation Use Study Area. The eastern and southern boundaries of the Recreation Facilities
Study Area are defined as follows: the Richardson Highway corridor and areas west, from
Paxson to the Glenn Highway intersection; the Glenn Highway corridor and areas north, from
Glennallen west to Chickaloon; and joining the Recreation Use Study Area along the line
running north from Chickaloon, following the Chickaloon River to its headwaters at the
Chickaloon Glacier, and then connecting at the Y Junction on the Parks Highway.
4. METHODS AND VARIANCES IN 2014
The following section provides a brief summary of the tasks performed, the methods utilized,
and any variances from the methods described in the Study Plan (Section 12.5.4 of the
RSP 12.5).
4.1. Regional Recreation Analysis
The methods to assess regional and local recreation data related to recreation use were previously
described in the ISR Section 12.5.4 filed in June 2014.
4.1.1. Variances
No additional work was performed in 2014, and thus there were no variances to the methods
described in Section 12.5.4 of the RSP 12.5 for 2013 and 2014.
4.2. Trails
The methods for the inventory and mapping of recreation trails and routes in the Recreation Use
Study Area, including both summer and winter uses, are described in detail in Attachment 1.
4.2.1. Variances
As described in Part C, Section 7.1.2 of the ISR filed with FERC in June 2014, AEA has added
the Denali East Option road and transmission corridor to the study area. The proposed
modification includes an expansion of the Recreation Effects Analysis Area by including a 5-
mile buffer on the proposed Denali East Option and on new trails identified in 2013 that were
found to have a nexus to the Project, notably the Butte Lake Trail and the Goose Lake Trail.
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4.3. Recreation Use Areas
The methods to assess recreation use areas, including the Natural Resource Recreation Setting
(NRRS) and special resource use designations, were previously described in Section 12.5.4 of
the ISR filed in June 2014.
4.3.1. Variances
No additional work was performed in 2014; thus, there were no variances to the methods
described in Section 12.5.4 of the RSP 12.5 for 2013 and 2014.
4.4. Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use
The methods to assess recreation supply, demand, and use were previously described in Section
12.5.4 of the ISR filed in June 2014.
4.4.1. Variances
No variances from the methods described in the Study Plan for recreation supply, demand, and
use (RSP Section 12.5.4) were necessary beyond those described in Section 12.5.4 of the ISR
filed in June 2014.
4.5. Recreation Facilities and Carrying Capacity
The methods to assess recreation facilities and carrying capacity, including public and private
recreation facilities, dispersed recreation sites, and access points, were previously described in
Section 12.5.4 of the ISR filed in June 2014.
4.5.1. Variances
No additional work was performed in 2014; thus, there were no variances to the methods
described in Section 12.5.4 of the RSP 12.5 for 2013 and 2014.
4.6. Survey Data Collection
The methods for the collection of user data, including intercept recreational user survey, regional
resident household mail survey, nonresponse bias telephone survey, and executive interview, are
described in detail in Attachment 2.
4.6.1. Variances
No variances from the methods described in the Study Plan for the Survey Data Collection (RSP
Section 12.5.4) were necessary beyond those described in Section 12.5.4 of the ISR filed in June
2014.
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4.7. Geographic Information System (GIS) Maps and Figures
The methods to identify and map recreation sites, facilities, and access routes (Revised Statute
[RS] 2477 rights-of-way, 17(b) easements, and other recreation use trails) were previously
described in Section 12.5.4 of the ISR filed in June 2014.
4.7.1. Variances
No variances from the methods described in the Study Plan for the GIS maps and figures (RSP
Section 12.5.4) were necessary in 2013 or 2014.
5. RESULTS
This section summarizes the recreation data from the 2013 and 2014 study season collected
pursuant to Section 12.5.4 of the RSP. Data developed in support of this study are available for
download at http://gis.suhydro.org/reports/isr.
5.1. Regional Recreation Analysis
The complete results of the regional recreation analyses are presented in Section 12.5.1 of the
ISR. The results present data related to recreation resources from various local and regional plans
with a nexus to the proposed Project. The plans reviewed encompassed those plans specified in
Section 12.5.1 of the Study Plan as well as other relevant plans identified. Common recreation
themes and goals were identified and documented.
5.2. Trails
The complete results of the trail inventory, mapping, and classification effort are presented in
Attachment 1 (Trails Assessment and Classification Technical Memorandum). Results presented
in Attachment 1 include trail resources identified in Section 12.5.2 of the ISR filed in June 2014,
as well as trail resources identified in 2014 from the addition of the Denali East Option road and
transmission corridor. Results in Attachment 1 include a complete and comprehensive inventory
of winter and summer trails and routes, with trails potentially affected by the Project mapped at a
scale greater than 1:24,000. As specified in Section 12.5 of the FERC-approved Study Plan,
results in Attachment 1 include trail classifications for those trails identified to have a nexus to
the Project.
5.3. Recreation Use Areas
No additional work was performed in 2014 for recreation use areas. Section 12.5.3 of the ISR
presents existing data on special resource use designations within the Recreation Use Study
Area, including generally allowed use (GAU) lands, state parks, Wild and Scenic River
designations, state public use areas, archaeological districts, and other areas with special
recreation designations.
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5.4. Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use
The results of the Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use Assessment were updated in 2014 and
are presented in Attachment 2 (Recreation Use Demand Assessment Technical Memorandum).
Attachment 2 presents updated results from the data presented in Section 12.5.4 of the ISR filed
in June 2014. Updates are included for secondary utilization data compilation, existing survey
research review, the Incidental Observation Survey, and demand assessment and future
projections. Data presented in Attachment 2 include previously submitted data and new data
collected in 2014 to fulfill the requirements set forth in Section 12.5 of the FERC-approved
Study Plan. This portion of the study is complete.
5.5. Recreation Facilities and Carrying Capacity
No additional work was performed in 2014. Section 12.5.5 of the ISR presents existing data on
recreation facilities, including dispersed recreation and access points, within the Recreation
Facilities Study Area.
5.6. Survey Data Collection
The results of survey data collection were completed in 2014 and are presented in Attachment 2
(Recreation Use Demand Assessment Technical Memorandum). Attachment 2 provides results
for the Susitna-Watana Recreation Intercept Survey, Susitna-Watana Recreation Regional
Resident Household Mail Survey, Intercept Site Recreation Tallies, Nonresponse Bias Telephone
Survey, and Executive Interview research. Data presented in Attachment 2 for the survey data
collection effort fulfill the requirements set forth in Section 12.5 of the FERC-approved Study
Plan. This portion of the study is complete.
6. DISCUSSION
6.1. Regional Recreation Analysis
AEA completed the Regional Recreation Analysis in the first study year, and a discussion of the
results of the analysis is presented in Section 12.5.6 of the June 2014 ISR. For the analysis, the
study team reviewed all of the community and resource plans specified in Section 12.5.4 of the
FERC-approved Study Plan as well as six additional plans identified as relevant to recreation
resources within the Recreation Use Study Area. The analysis summarized information from
each plan related to recreation resources, including recreation goals, objectives, management
principles, recommendations, and trends. The detailed and comprehensive review conducted by
the study team, extending beyond those plans specified in the FERC-approved Study Plan,
resulted in a detailed and comprehensive dataset of regional recreation planning information. The
data presented in the June 2014 ISR meet the requirements outlined in Section 12.5.4 of the
FERC-approved Study Plan and are adequate to assess baseline conditions for impact
assessment. This portion of the study is complete.
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6.2. Trails
A discussion of the results of the trail inventory, mapping, and classification effort is presented
in Attachment 1. Since the submission of the June 2014 ISR, the study team completed the
inventory, mapping, and classification of winter and summer trails with the potential to be
affected by the Project. In 2014, AEA acquired additional high resolution imagery for those areas
potentially affected by the Denali East Option road and transmission corridor, and mapped trail
segments identified in these areas at a scale greater than 1:24,000. The 2014 trail data were
combined with trail resource data presented in the June 2014 ISR, and the cumulative dataset is
presented in Attachment 1. Given the comprehensive nature of the aerial imagery that was
acquired for a large portion of the Recreation Use Study Area, the trail inventory and mapping
data presented in Attachment 1 are considered to be comprehensive and of high quality.
Per Section 12.5.4 of the Study Plan, winter and summer trails with a nexus to the Project were
classified in 2014 using the United States Forest Service (USFS) Trail Classification System, and
Class 1 (informal all-terrain vehicle [ATV] hunting trails) were further classified based on trail
braiding information acquired using aerial imagery. The trail inventory and mapping establish a
detailed and high quality baseline for trail information within the Recreation Use Study Area.
This portion of the study complete.
6.3. Recreation Use Areas
During 2014, no additional work was conducted to assess recreation use areas within the
Recreation Use Study Area. A discussion of the results of the Recreation Use Area Assessment is
presented in Section 12.5.6 of the June 2014 ISR. Existing data on special resource use
designations are comprehensive and adequate to assess baseline conditions; however, additional
work is required to conduct the NRRS for existing and post-Project conditions within the
Recreation Use Study Area. This effort would utilize data from all other components of the
Recreation Resources Study (12.5) once these sections are complete.
6.4. Recreation Supply, Demand, and Use
In 2014, the study team completed the assessment of recreation supply, demand, and use as
specified in the FERC-approved Study Plan 12.5; a detailed discussion of the results is presented
in Attachment 2 (Recreation Use Demand Assessment Technical Memorandum). Attachment 2
includes both data submitted in the June 2014 ISR, updated when appropriate, as well as
extensive new data derived from the survey data collection effort completed in 2014.
In 2014, existing secondary utilization data from land managing organizations, existing survey
research, and the Incidental Observation Survey data were updated to ensure a comprehensive
review of these data sources. AEA also completed analysis of data from the Susitna-Watana
Recreation Intercept Survey, Susitna-Watana Recreation Regional Resident Household Mail
Survey, Intercept Site Recreation Tallies, Nonresponse Bias Telephone Survey, and Executive
Interview research (see Section 6.6 and Attachment 2). Data from the completed survey data
collection effort allowed the study team to develop estimates of current recreation demand (user
days) for both Alaska residents and nonresidents, as well as identify recreation trends within the
Recreation Use Study Area. A summary of results by selected recreation activity (hunting and
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trapping, sportfishing, motorized boating, remote camping, roadside camping, hiking/
backpacking/snowmachining, wildlife viewing [including bird watching], riding the Alaska
Railroad, riding ATVs, flightseeing, bicycling, dog sledding [including skijoring], and Nordic
skiing) was also completed. The data and analysis of recreation supply, demand, and use
presented in Attachment 2 are comprehensive, detailed, and fulfill the requirements set forth in
Section 12.5 of the FERC-approved Study Plan for this component of the study. This portion of
the study is complete.
6.5. Recreation Facilities and Carrying Capacity
No additional work was conducted in 2014 to assess recreation facilities and carrying capacity
within the Recreation Facilities Study Area. Work completed to date for this component of the
study includes an initial inventory of public recreation facilities, dispersed recreation sites along
the Denali Highway, and a comprehensive survey of recreation access points throughout the
Recreation Facilities Study Area. Data collected thus far are of high quality and fulfill
requirements outlined in the FERC-approved Study Plan Section 12.5.4. Additional work is
required to complete this study component, including the collection of additional Americans with
Disability Act (ADA) requirements for public recreation facilities; an inventory of key private
facilities throughout the Recreation Facilities Study Area; and an inventory of dispersed
recreation sites along the Richardson, Glenn, and Parks highways. The additional information
would be collected through future field investigations and support an assessment of carrying
capacity assessment for developed recreation sites, major dispersed use areas, and trails within
the Recreation Facilities Study Area. A discussion of the existing data from the Recreation
Facilities and Carrying Capacity Assessment is presented in Section 12.5.6 of the ISR.
6.6. Survey Data Collection
In 2014, the study team completed all requirements associated with the survey data collection
component of the study; a detailed discussion of the results is presented in Attachment 2
(Recreation Use Demand Assessment Technical Memorandum). Following the submission of the
June 2014 ISR, Section 12.5, the study team has updated existing survey data for the Recreation
Use Study Area, and all Incidental Observation Surveys received were compiled and
documented. AEA completed the collection and assessment of all data from the Susitna-Watana
Recreation Intercept Survey, Susitna-Watana Recreation Regional Resident Household Mail
Survey, Intercept Site Recreation Tallies, Nonresponse Bias Telephone Survey, and Executive
Interview research (see Attachment 2). The results of the survey data collection effort are
comprehensive and high quality, and will enable the study team to accurately assess the baseline
recreation use levels for Alaska residents and non-resident users throughout the Recreation Use
Study Area. Results of the survey data collection component fulfill the requirements set forth in
Section 12.5 of the FERC-approved Study Plan. This portion of the study is complete.
7. CONCLUSIONS
Significant progress has been made since June 2014 in meeting the objectives of the Recreation
Resources Study. In 2013 and 2014, AEA completed the inventory, mapping, and classification
of trail resources within the Recreation Use Study Area, as well as the collection and analysis of
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recreation use and demand data derived from the survey data collection component of the study.
The field work, data collection, data analysis, and reporting for this Recreation Resources Study
successfully meet the study objectives in the FERC-approved Study Plan. The results of this
Recreation Resources Study are reported herein and earlier by AEA in the June 2014 ISR.
Remaining tasks under the Recreation Resources Study include the completion of the Recreation
Use Area Assessment (including the NRRS analysis) for existing conditions and post-Project
conditions within the Recreation Use Study Area, as well as the completion of the Recreation
Facilities Inventory and the Carrying Capacity Assessment within the Recreation Facilities Study
Area.
7.1. Decision Points from Study Plan
In 2013 and 2014, AEA collected information on river recreation use and experience , and
coordinated with the study teams for the Instream Flow Study (Study 8.5), Ice Processes in the
Susitna River Study (Study 7.6), Geomorphology Study (Study 6.5), River Recreation Flow and
Access Study (Study 12.7), and Aesthetics Resources Study (Study 12.6). The first year results
from the Instream Flow Study (Study 8.5), Ice Processes in the Susitna River Study (Study 7.6),
Geomorphology Study (Study 6.5), Recreation Resources Study (Study 12.5), and Aesthetics
Resources Study (Study 12.6) do not indicate that the Project would affect river flows in a way
that would affect recreation use of the reach of the river downstream of the Parks Highway
Bridge (PRM 88.9) as described in the June 2014 ISR, Part C (Section 7.1.1).
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8. FIGURES
Figure 3.0-1. Study Areas for the Recreation Resources Study