Natural Resources Technical Support Program. Recreational Use of Chickamauga Lock, Tennessee, and Recreational Boaters' Perceptions of Lock Use Conflicts.

摘要

Recreational use of the Chickamauga Lock has more than doubled since 1984, when 3,139 recreational craft used the lock. Forty percent of the total annual use occurs during the month of June. The most common reason for heavy use during the month is to attend special events, although other locks in the Tennessee River Navigation System have also shown an increase in recreational use since 1984. Overall, the study suggests a low level of conflict between recreational and commercial users. Conflict among recreational users appears to be even less of a problem. The biggest source of conflict at the current time is not the actual delays, but recreational boaters' inability to predict whether the lock will be available for use prior to arriving at the dam. Nearly one half of the boaters indicated that this is a common problem during special events. The Corps can reduce this source of conflict to some extent by using an FM repeater to announce the estimated time of recreational and commercial lockages. A majority of the respondents supported this management alternative. The second most popular management alternative was the construction of a separate lock for commercial traffic.