Improved local planning for reservoir-oriented recreation opportunities

Dwyer, John F.; Espeseth, Robert D.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/90069 Copy

Description

Title

Improved local planning for reservoir-oriented recreation opportunities

Author(s)

• Dwyer, John F.
• Espeseth, Robert D.

Contributor(s)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Issue Date

1977-06

Keyword(s)

• Water resource development
• Water resource development--Illinois
• Human dimensions
• Recreation
• Reservoirs
• Planning
• Local government
• Lake Shelbyville

Geographic Coverage

Illinois (state)

Abstract

Water-based recreation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of water-resources management. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty about its local socio-economic impact. This uncertainty has played a key role in debates over the construction of reservoirs in Illinois. While much attention has been given to predicting expected impacts of reservoirs, there has been little investigation of the actual impacts, and very little attention has been given to evaluating the effectiveness of various approaches to dealing with those local impacts that do indeed result from water-resources-management projects. This study looks at the actual recreation-induced local impacts of Lake Shelbyville, a multipurpose reservoir constructed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in central Illinois. The reservoir began filling in 1969 and is a major recreation attraction (three million visitor days annually) in a predominately agricultural region. The study is exploratory. It identifies significant impacts and suggests how these impacts may be predicted and dealt with. Significant attention is given to impacts on local government costs and revenues as well as needed intergovernmental cooperation. It is clear that local impacts were significantly different from what was expected and that local residents and recreationists using the lake could benefit from improvements in local planning and intergovernmental cooperation.

Publisher

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Water Resources Center

Type of Resource

text

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90069

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

• U.S. Department of the Interior
• U.S. Geological Survey

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 1977 held by John F. Dwyer, Robert D. Espeseth

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