Table 3.9 — Ownership of recreational boats in 



the contiguous United States, 1976, percent 



increase from 1973, by section and region 



Section and region 



Ownership of 

 recreational boats 



Increase 

 from 1973 





1973 



1976 



to 1976 



North: 

 Northeast^ 

 North Central 



Thousands 



2,330 

 2,460 



Thousands 



2,510 

 3,900 



Percent 



7.7 

 58.5 



Total 



4.790 



6,410 



34.9 



South; 

 Southeast 

 South Central 



1,340 

 1,710 



1,750 

 2,310 



30.6 

 35.1 



Total 



3,050 



4,060 



33.1 



Rocky Mountains 

 and Great Plains 



570 



790 



38.6 



Pacific Coast: 

 Pacific Northwest 

 Pacific Southwest 



430 

 670 



630 

 860 



46.5 

 28.4 



Total 



1,100 



1,490 



35.5 



Total contiguous 

 United States 



9,510 



12,750 



34.1 



' Includes Washington, DC. 



Source; Personal Communication (A. J. Marmo) Policy Planning and Informa- 

 tion Analysis Staff, Office of Boating Safety, United States Coast Guard, Depart- 

 ment of Transportation. 



— particularly parts of the Pacific Southwest and 

 South Central regions — the modification of drainage 

 patterns in this way has been well accepted, because it 

 has led to increased variety and diversity of recrea- 

 tional opportunities. 



Strong public pressure to preserve rivers and 

 sti^ams with high scenic and recreational values cur- 

 rently exists. This is evident by the inclusion of many 

 rivers under Federal and State river preservation 

 programs. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 

 of 1968 designated eight rivers (or portions thereof) 

 as the nucleus of a National Wild and Scenic Rivers 

 System and designated 27 other rivers to be studied as 

 potential additions (fig. 3.6). Since that time, addi- 

 tional amendments to the Act have added other rivers 

 to the System as well as designating additional rivers 

 for study as potential components of the System. 



As of January 1978, 28 rivers or river segments 

 totalling 2,318 miles were in the National Wild and 

 Scenic Rivers System. Forty-eight additional rivers 

 also were being considered as potential components 

 of the System. Principal management responsibilities 

 rest with the Forest Service, National Park Service, 

 and the Bureau of Land Management, as well as 

 State governments. Pressures to preserve more rivers 

 under this program will likely continue. 



There is strong public pressure to preserve rivers and streams with 

 high scenic and recreation values. 



In addition to the National System, 24 States have 

 authorized wild and scenic river systems. The most 

 recent was established by South Carolina in 1974. To 

 date, about 20 States have designed over 120 rivers. 

 All of the States have identified at least some poten- 

 tial candidates. Programs range from active, dynamic 

 planning programs to minimal efforts at initiating 

 such programs. 



Besides those rivers reserved under Federal and 

 State programs, thousands of other waterways 

 throughout the country have considerable potential 

 for river recreational use — many of which could 

 offer the user the feeling of being in a relatively wild 

 place. Many of these rivers and streams are located 

 on public lands, particularly on the National Forests. 



The continued popularity of rivers, streams, lakes, 

 and reservoirs for recreation has created conflicts and 

 problems not only for users and managers, but also 

 for many segments of society. Frequent debates have 

 centered around the appropriate use of water re- 

 sources. Efforts to curb pollution and to improve 

 water quality have been based partly on demands for 

 recreation. Also common are the conflicts between 

 recreational uses and nonrecreational uses of water 

 such as commercial fishing and trapping, transporta- 

 tion, hydropower, irrigation, water supply, and 



