The LCRA completed a study of recreational boating on Lake Travis in 2009. This article highlights the executive summary of that report. The project was managed by Jim Richardson and Tim Bradle of the LCRA's Water Surface Management group.
The study had the following objectives:
(1) to learn the characteristics of Lake Travis boaters and their patterns of use of the lake;
(2) to examine the social, natural resource and management conditions among boaters;
(3) to examine the nature and magnitude of conflicts among boaters, and where conflicts occur;
(4) to locate peak boating distribution and boating densities; and
(5) to find trends in peak volumes, boater characteristics, attitudes toward lake conditions and management preferences.
Distance traveled: From two-thirds to three-quarters of boaters traveled less than 25 miles to reach the lake. Marina users traveled greater distances than ramp users.
Crowding: When asked to rank crowding as a lake problem on a scale of 1 to 9, boaters responded with answers of 4.6 to 5.1. Lakeshore property owners were most concerned about crowding and ramp users less so.
Areas most used: Using the Labor Day weekend for collection of responses, boaters thought the most crowding occurred in the stretch of the lake from the dam to the Pedernales River. The most severe crowding was thought to take place in the area between Sandy Creek and Bee Creek.
New regulations: Support for more regulations was mixed. Property owners favored more regulation of noise, speed, and more zoning for specific uses. Ramp users did not favor new regulations. Overall, large fractions (greater than 20%) of responses by all the user groups opposed new regulations.
Favorite locations: The two favorite locations mentioned by respondents were the main basin and Devil's Hollow. Property owners had more favorite places and had stronger attachments to their places.
Areas avoided: The two places most avoided happened to also be the two places mentioned most often as favorites - main basin and Devil's Hollow. On a scale of one to five, safety was rated 4.3.
Elements liked most and least: Elements of the lake most liked included the scenery and the cleanliness of the water. The elements
least liked included noise, wakes, low water and heavy boat traffic. Mentions of positive changes over time included the increased presence of law enforcement and more marinas. Mentions of negative trends included low water, crowding, and boater misbehavior.
Readers who would like to see the entire executive summary (five pages), or the entire report (126 pages) may click on this link to view the report on the internet.
