Sedimentation Aspects in Recreation Planning: Fid-Bau Portal

Sedimentation Aspects in Recreation Planning

Bondurant, Donald C. / Livesey, Robert H.

The demand for outdoor recreation will triple by the year 2000, while the nation’s population is doubling. Because water oriented activities are the focal point of outdoor recreation, an increasing public demand can be expected for the provision and maintenance of adequate recreational facilities at all water resource development projects. The problem involves more effective use of available areas as well as provision of more recreation areas. This paper illustrates that sedimentation is frequently one of the prime factors requiring evaluation in the planning and development of water oriented recreational facilities. Sedimentation may seriously affect such facilities by reducing their useful life or inflating maintenance beyond rational limits. The life cycle of biological species in a reservoir is influenced by the sterile sediment deposits that are unsuitable for the propagation of either fish or fish food. The thin accumulations of fine sediments that isolate continuing hatches of surface or burrowing bottom fauna from the circulation of life producing water or oxygen are also influential.