Recreational Boating Study of the Mississippi River, Pools 4 to 9, Summer 2003
Recreational Boating Study of the Mississippi River, Pools 4 to 9, Summer 2003
The Minnesota-Wisconsin portion of the Mississippi River is an important commercial, ecological and recreational resource. The River has long served as a commercial transportation artery, and improvements for transportation date back to the early part of the 19th century. The present set of improvements (a system of locks and dams) dates from the 1930s. Just prior to the creation of the lock and dam system, much of the Minnesota-Wisconsin portion of the River became home to Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The Refuge protects important riverine habitat, and functions as a significant feeding and resting area for migratory waterfowl using the Mississippi Flyway. As a recreational resource, the Mississippi River offers opportunities for hunting, wildlife observation and a host of water-based activities, including swimming, fishing and pleasure boating.
This study examines the River as a recreation setting. It focuses on recreational boating, which includes fishing from a boat. The broad intent of the study was to collect the information needed to more effectively understand and manage the River for recreational boating. The study was designed to answer a wide variety of questions, from the amount and origin of boating, to the experiences boaters had on the water, to safety concerns of boaters, to facility preferences and future needs of boaters.
The 2003 Mississippi River Boating Study was a cooperative research project of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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