problem involves not so much the water's physical 

 amount as its quaUty and accessibility. 



Outdoor recreational facihties are most 

 urgently needed near metropolitan areas. As a 

 result of continued urbanization, three-quarters of 

 the U.S. population will Uve in these areas by the 

 turn of the century, and they will have the greatest 

 requirement for outdoor recreation. 



Table 4 

 REGIONAL SHORELINE ALLOCATION 



The competition for land use poses both a 

 challenge and an opportunity for those metro- 

 politan areas situated near the coasts and the Great 

 Lakes. Although such areas may not be able to re- 

 serve facilities for the complete range of water- 

 associated recreational activities, the potential to 

 secure some is shared by all. 



Population pressures on public and outdoor 

 recreation facilities are exceeding previous expec- 

 tations by wide margins. A 1965 survey conducted 

 by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation,'' indicated 

 that visits to beaches and seashores in 1980 would 

 total nearly 10 billion, more than double the same 

 estimate made in 1960. Projected visits in the year 

 2000 would be nearly 17 billion, four times the 

 1960 estimate. 



Based on the 1965 survey the most popular 

 summertime activities ranked in order are: walking 

 for pleasure, swimming, driving for pleasure, play- 

 ing outdoor sports, bicycling, sightseeing, picnick- 

 ing, fishing, attending outdoor sports events, 

 boating, nature walks, and camping. Projections 



for the year 2000 indicate some changes in ranking 

 with the following the top eight activities: swim- 

 ming, playing outdoor sports, walking for pleasure, 

 driving for pleasure, sightseeing, picnicking, and 

 boating. 



The present shoreline given to recreation is 

 shown in Tables 4 and 5.* At present about 6^/i 

 per cent of the total recreational shoreUne is in 

 pubhc ownership. To meet demands it is con- 

 sidered essential that about 15 per cent be 

 available for public use.' 



Private enterprise plays an important role in 

 outdoor recreation in coastal areas, a role not 

 always recognized. The enormous private invest- 

 ments in such resort cities as Atlantic City, Miami 

 Beach, and their numerous but smaller counter- 

 parts provide services and facUities for people 

 seeking a variety of outdoor recreation experience 

 ranging from big-game fishing to lounging on the 

 patio of a luxury hotel with a seascape as 

 background. 



The technical relationships between recreation 

 and other uses are complex. Partially treated 

 domestic sewage may render water unfit for 

 swinmiing or drinking but may act as a fertilizer 

 for fish production. Some recreational uses are 

 incompatible with others, e.g., water skiing and 

 fishing. What share of the salmon supply should be 

 allocated for food and what for recreation? Rarely 

 will the answer be all or none; more likely it will 

 be a rational balance of values. On the other hand, 

 certain rare environments like the Indiana dunes 

 must be reserved intact or lost completely. 



Perhaps more than in any other coastal appli- 

 cation new concepts of engineering and tech- 

 nology can assist or join with other uses. For 

 example, large new offshore port complexes also 

 could serve as pubUc recreational sites. Shorelines 

 can be lengthened by dredging new harbors and 

 spoil can be used to create islands and peninsulas. 



V. RECREATION-BOATING 



Boats in the United States total about 8.3 

 million, about 80 per cent of which are located in 



Department of the Interior, Outdoor Recreation 

 Trends, April 1967. 



Shoreline Recreation Resources of the United States, 

 Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission Re- 

 port No. 4, 1962. 



Our Vanishing Shoreline, 1966. 



III-17 



333-093 O - 69 - 12 



