Management Model for Determining Acceptable Types and Levels of Recreation at Public Drinking Water Reservoirs

摘要

A management model was developed for determining optimal mixes of recreation activities at public drinking water reservoirs. Quabbin Reservoir, located in central Massachusetts, served as a case study for the model. An interdisciplinary research team was formed to study (1) the impact of selected recreation activities on water quality, (2) public demand and willingness to pay for selected recreation activities at Quabbin, (3) the carrying capacity potential of the reservoir and (4) the cost-benefits associated with increases in recration at Quabbin. All study variables were integrated into a quadratic programming model producing optimal recreation activity mixes as outputs. The model was sensitive to management objectives; recommendations were limited to activities that would not lower the existing high quality of Quabbin water.