The University of Tennessee

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1 The University of Tennessee Lake Study: A Survey of Property Owners Summer, 2002 If you have any questions concerning this survey, you may contact Matt Murray, Associate Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research, at (865) If you have questions about your rights as a participant, contact the Compliance Section of the UT Office of Research at (865) Please return your completed survey in the Business Reply Envelope provided or mail it to: Center for Business and Economic Research The University of Tennessee 100 Glocker Building 1000 Volunteer Boulevard Knoxville, TN

2 1. How would you classify the property at the address this survey was sent to? (Check only one) PRIMARY RESIDENCE SECONDARY RESIDENCE VACATION HOME OTHER (E.G. FARM LAND, FOREST, BUSINESS)(Please specify) 2. Do you: RENT/LEASE OWN 3. Which TVA lake is this property closest to? CHEROKEE DOUGLAS 4. Which category best describes this property in relation to this lake? LOCATED WITHIN 5 MILES OF THE LAKE, BUT LAKE VIEW OR ACCESS TO THE WATER VIEW OF THE LAKE, BUT ACCESS TO THE WATER VIEW OF THE LAKE AND ACCESS VIA NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OR COMMON SUBDIVISION ACCESS VIEW OF THE LAKE AND DIRECT ACCESS TO THE WATER VIEW OF THE LAKE, BUT ACCESS VIA NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OR COMMON SUBDIVISION ACCESS OTHER (Please specify) 5. If this property borders the lake, what is the approximate length of frontage in feet? FEET OF FRONTAGE 6. Do you access the lake using some form of watercraft for (Check all that apply) BOATING FISHING SWIMMING SKIING SIGHTSEEING OTHER (Please explain)

3 7. What other activities have you participated in at this lake? (Check all that apply) CAMPING FISHING FROM THE BANK PICNICKING HIKING SUNBATHING OTHER (Please explain) 8. Do you have direct watercraft access from this property? (Skip to Question 10) 9. If, how do you access the lake? (Check all that apply) COMMUNITY BOAT SLIP PUBLIC BOAT RAMP PRIVATE DOCK OR MARINA I DO T ACCESS THE LAKE WITH WATERCRAFT OTHER (Please specify) 10. How many times per month do you access the lake with watercraft? (Record number in box) JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY OCTOBER VEMBER DECEMBER

4 11. Do you pay a fee each time you access the lake? (Skip to Question 13) 12. If, what is the average fee per access? $ (amount per access) 13. Do you have a view of the lake from your home at any time of the year? (Skip to Question 15) 14. If, do you have a view of lake water from any part of this property at any time of the year? (Skip to Question 17) 15. Do you have a view of lake water from any part of this property at any time during the months of May through July? (Skip to Question 17) 16. If, does lake water remain in view in the following months: DECEMBER MARCH

5 17. Check the description that best fits the view of the lake from this property in each month. (Check only one description for each month.) WATER MUD/ LAKE BOTTOM EXPOSED SHORELINE ROCK OUT- CROPPING OTHER (Please specify in space provided) DECEMBER MARCH 18. How do lower water levels affect your use of the lake in August and September? USE LAKE MORE FREQUENTLY DUE TO LOWER WATER LEVELS (Continue to Question 19) USE LAKE LESS FREQUENTLY DUE TO LOWER WATER LEVELS (Skip to Question 20) CHANGE IN USE DUE TO LOWER WATER LEVELS (Skip to Question 22) 19. How many fewer times would you access the lake if it remained at or near normal summer pool through (number of fewer times) (number of fewer times)(skip to Question 22) 20. How many more times would you access the lake if it remained at or near normal summer pool through (number of additional times) (number of additional times) 21. You have indicated that you would access the lake more in August or September if it remained at or near normal summer pool. Would this cause you to increase, decrease, or not change the number of times you access the lake the rest of the year? INCREASE DECREASE (number of additional times) (number of fewer times) CHANGE 22. What improvements have you made to enjoy the lake and its view? (Check all that apply) LANDSCAPING BUILT A BOATHOUSE BUILT A PATIO/DECK BUILT A BOAT DOCK OTHER (Please specify)

6 23. To the best of your knowledge, what are your annual expenditures for using and enjoying the lake? $ 24. When you use the lake, how much would you estimate your total annual spending to be on each of the following? Also indicate the town and county where you make the majority of the expenditures. Please confine your estimates of spending to those activities directly related to lake use. A. FOOD, DRINKS AND REFRESHMENTS Dollars Town County B. DOCK AND DOCK MAINTENANCE C. BOAT, CAE, PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, ETC. D. BOATING, FISHING, OR CAMPING RENTAL/SUPPLIES E. BOAT LAUNCHING FEES F. PRIVATE LAND ACCESS FEES G. COMMERCIAL DOCK OR MARINA H. OTHER EXPENSES (Please specify) 25. Would your expenditures go up or down (and by how much) or not change at all if the lake remained at or near normal summer pool in the months of: UP $ (Dollar amount increase) DOWN $ (Dollar amount decrease) CHANGE UP $ (Dollar amount increase) DOWN $ (Dollar amount decrease) CHANGE OTHER MONTHS OF THE YEAR UP $ (Dollar amount increase) DOWN $ (Dollar amount decrease) CHANGE 26. Do you currently own a personal watercraft (jet ski)? 27. Do you currently own a canoe, kayak, or sailboat?

7 28. Do you currently own any other type of boat? 29. Before purchasing this property, did you know about TVA's policy to begin drawing down reservoirs on August 1? 30. When lake levels are brought down in late July/early August, is your primary form of lake access restricted? DO T ACCESS 31. If you own a dock, does the lake remain accessible after the draw-down? (Skip to Question 34) (Continue to Question 32) DOCK (Skip to Question 34) 32. If, do you use an alternative boat ramp to access the lake? 33. What, if any, additional cost do you incur to put your boat on the lake for the following months? $ (total amount for the month) $ (total amount for the month) 34. If you own a dock, what is the lowest level at which your dock is usable? 35. If you have lake frontage, what is the approximate vertical drop in feet from normal June pool at or near the shoreline of this property in the following months? DECEMBER MARCH (vertical drop in feet) (vertical drop in feet) (vertical drop in feet) (vertical drop in feet)

8 36. If you have lake frontage, what is the average distance in feet from the June shoreline of this property to the water during the following months? DECEMBER MARCH (average distance in feet) (average distance in feet) (average distance in feet) (average distance in feet) 37. If lake levels remained at normal summer pool in August and September, what effect would it have on the value of this property? DECREASE $ (amount of decrease) INCREASE $ (amount of increase) CHANGE 38. Do you think TVA should keep lake levels higher in winter months if it increases the risk of flooding downstream? 39. Please consider the following attributes related to TVA lakes: Fishing opportunities, Boating opportunities, Scenic quality, Water quality, etc. Please rate the level of importance you place on each attribute when choosing a lake home site on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Attribute Rate (1 to 5) 5 = highest FISHING OPPORTUNITIES BOATING OPPORTUNITIES SCENIC QUALITY OF A LAKE WATER QUALITY OTHER (Please specify) Background Information on TVA's current management of East Tennessee Lakes: -- Tennessee Valley Authority was established to provide flood control, navigation, and electric power in the Tennessee Valley region. -- TVA tries to balance these competing needs, along with economic development, recreation, and environmental quality. -- Currently, TVA tries to keep lakes at normal summer pool from June 1st through August 1st. -- TVA begins draw-downs at TVA lakes on August 1st at reservoirs in the upper portions of the river system to provide flood control and hydroelectric power. -- TVA is now considering adjusting its August 1st draw-down patterns.

9 In the next few questions, we want you to consider some alternative September 1 levels. In order to maintain higher water levels for this extra month, TVA would have to sacrifice hydropower generation. As a result, average electricity rates in the TVA service area would have to increase. Now we would like to ask for your input on alternative policies. In answering the following questions, keep in mind that any additional money that you spend on your electricity bill means that you will have less money to spend on other goods and services that may be important to you. Currently, the average September 1 lake level is 20 feet below full pool. Options 1 and 2 of the following Choice Sets represent changes from the average September 1 lake level. is always -- in other words, indicates that TVA would make no change to its current draw-down patterns. For each lettered question below (A through F), please place an "X" in the box below your choice (either, Option 2, or ). When making your choice, only consider the three options presented for each lettered set. For instance, when reviewing the options in Choice Set B, do not consider the options in Choice Set A. Please note that some choices actually represent further reductions in the water levels. 40. A. Average Lake Level on September 1 15 ft above normal $75/year 5 feet above normal $50/year normal B. Average Lake Level on September 1 10 ft above normal $10/year 5 ft above normal $5/year normal C. Average Lake Level on September 1 25 ft below normal 40 ft below normal normal D. Average Lake Level on September 1 20 ft above normal $100/year 10 ft above normal normal $5/year E. Average Lake Level on September 1 20 ft above normal $50/year 10 ft above normal $25/year normal F. Average Lake Level on September 1 20 ft above normal $75/year 15 ft above normal $25/year normal

10 41. Are you generally willing to pay slightly more for electricity if it means that lake levels would remain at higher levels throughout the year? (Skip to Question 44) 42. What is the most you would be willing to pay per year to have lakes kept at their normal summer pool level from August 1 to September 1? $ 43. What is the most you would be willing to pay per year to have lakes kept at their normal summer pool level from September 1 to October 1? $ 44. Have you been surveyed this summer by UT regarding recreational use of lakes? 45. Are you a resident of Tennessee? 46. In what ZIP Code is your primary place of residence? 47. What is the highest level of education you have completed? ELEMENTARY OR SOME HIGH SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE/GED TRADE OR VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATION SOME COLLEGE/ ASSOCIATES DEGREE COLLEGE GRADUATE POST-GRADUATE DEGREE 48. What year were you born?

11 49. To your knowledge, is your occupation (or employer) affected in any way other than electricity rates by TVA s water level management policies? DON'T KW 50. About how much was your gross household income last year? LESS THAN $10,000 $10,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $29,999 $30,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $59,999 $60,000 to $69,999 $70,000 to $79,999 $80,000 to $89,999 $90,000 to $99,999 MORE THAN $100,000 DON'T KW 51. What is your race? WHITE BLACK OTHER (Please specify) 52. What is your gender? MALE FEMALE Thank you. Please write any additional comments on the back of this survey. A summary of survey results will be posted on our website at Upon its completion, copies of our complete study will be made available to the public.