Boating trends study
Boating in Central Minnesota: Status in 2001 and Trends Since 1987
The central lake region is the third region to receive an update study from the 1980s. Previous update studies occurred in the Twin Cities metro region and in the north central region. The update studies provide descriptions of how recreational boating is changing around Minnesota.
The central lake region is being progressively drawn into the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area, especially the counties of Wright, Stearns and Sherburne. The five-county central-lake region experienced a population growth of 22 percent in the 1990s, nearly twice the rate of growth for the state as a whole. And it is projected to grow more than twice the rate of the state for the next 25 years. Population growth will fuel demand for access to the water for recreational pursuits, as well as demand for home sites in attractive lakeside locations. Pressure on the region's lake resources can only be expected to grow for the foreseeable future.
This boating study is an update of a study done in 1987, and changes since 1987 are presented throughout the report. The study has three broad goals: describe the many facets of the boating experience; measure the total number of boats on lakes and trace those boats to their means of access; and provide information to guide public access programs. The goals are accomplished through a combination of aerial observations and boater surveys with public access users, commercial access users (e.g., resort guests) and lakeshore residents.
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