Water quality criteria for selected recreation uses

Abstract

Four types of outdoor recreationists were investigated to determine whether they differed in their attitudes, beliefs, and behavior regarding various water characteristics at Central Illinois water -based recreation sites. Using an attitude model derived from social-psychological research, the recreationist’ attitudes toward the sites were estimated from their attitudes and beliefs about water characteristics. The site attitudes were regarded as indicators of the quality of the respondents' recreation experiences resulting from characteristics of the water. The major analyses were comparisons of the recreationist groups’ perceptions of the water, attitudes toward water characteristics, the site attitudes held because of water characteristics, reports of decreased site use because of water characteristics, and reports of probable termination of site use because of water characteristics. The relationships between site attitude components resulting from selected water characteristics and the reports of decreased site use and probable termination of use were also investigated. The results indicated that the four types of recreationists differed in their perceptions of the water, attitudes toward water characteristics, site attitudes, and the reported water characteristics that had caused or might cause decreased site use. In addition to these group differences, there were strong individual differences among the recreationists within the various groups. Site attitudes were not highly related to reported behavior.U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological SurveyOpe