Correspondences for Surveys

Greetings,

I am writing to ask you to share your views about an important issue affecting the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park and a portion of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. In the next several weeks, you will receive a survey in the mail. The survey is part of a national study of issues concerning the operation of Glen Canyon Dam. Glen Canyon Dam creates Lake Powell and controls the discharge of water into the Colorado River through the bottom of the Grand Canyon and part of Glen Canyon and affects the resources in and along the river. The study is jointly led by the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Service.

Government officials will soon be making decisions about how the dam is to be operated. The decisions will affect both the Glen and Grand Canyons' river environment and the production of hydroelectricity. Dam operations directly affect the pattern of water releases of the Colorado River, which in turn impacts the natural and cultural resources of the region. The way the dam is operated also determines the value and quantity of electricity produced by the dam. Decision makers need to know how people in households like yours feel about the tradeoffs between natural and cultural resources; including resources such as fish, vegetation, archeological sites and beaches at the bottom of the Glen and Grand Canyons, and the production of electricity from Glen Canyon Dam.

Even if you have never heard of the Glen Canyon Dam, your answers are valuable to this study. We cannot send this survey to every household in the country. Instead, your household represents many other households similar to yours. What U.S. households think about these issues is important to future management decisions regarding Glen Canyon Dam.

The survey will arrive within the coming weeks. Researchers from the University of Montana, Missoula have designed and are conducting this study. The survey will take about 30 minutes to complete. To ensure a random selection of respondents, we are asking that the survey be filled out by the adult member of your household with the most recent birthday. The survey package will provide information about Glen Canyon Dam and the natural and cultural resources downstream. You will only be asked to give your opinion and responses to questions about how you feel. The survey does not require any technical knowledge of hydroelectricity or dam operations. A stamped envelope will be supplied to return the survey to the University of Montana. If you have any questions about the study, you can call Chris Neher, the survey project manager at (406)721-2265.

We are very interested in hearing from your household in order to gain an accurate picture of the range of opinions related to Glen Canyon Dam and the Colorado River. Thank you, in advance, for your participation.

Sincerely,

Bruce Peacock

Social Science Division, National Park Service

Greetings,

Here is the survey I told you about in my previous letter. This study is about the Glen Canyon Dam, which controls the water level in the Colorado River as it flows through Grand Canyon National Park and part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Government officials will soon be making decisions about how to operate the dam. Your participation in the study will help them understand how people in households like yours feel about trade-offs between cultural and natural resources, such as fish, vegetation, and beaches, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and part of Glen Canyon and the production of electricity from Glen Canyon Dam. Answers to this survey will affect future decisions about how the dam is operated.

Your response to this survey is very important. We could not send this survey to every household in the nation. Your household is part of a relatively small group of households who have been randomly selected to participate in this survey. Your answers will represent the views of many other households similar to yours and will ensure that all households are represented in decisions about the operation of the Glen Canyon Dam. To ensure a random selection of respondents within a household, we are asking that the survey be filled out by the adult member of your household with the most recent birthday.

As you complete the survey please take the time to read all the background information presented within it. This background information describes Glen Canyon Dam, the resources below the dam, and how the operation of the dam affects these resources. I realize you may not have heard about Glen Canyon Dam before you received this survey. The background information was designed by scientists studying the dam and the Grand Canyon resources downstream to help you understand the issues. The survey does not require any technical knowledge about hydroelectricity or dam operations. The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. Previous participants told us that they found the survey to be interesting and informative.

Your name will never be associated with your survey answers. Information from the survey will only be reported in statistical terms. There is an identification number on the back of the survey so researchers from the University of Montana, Missoula will know who has already returned the survey and whom to send reminders to.

When the survey is completed, simply return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. If you have any questions about the study, we would like to hear from you. You can call Chris Neher, the survey project manager, at (406) 721-2265.

I appreciate your help in this study and know that your time is valuable.

Thank you,

Bruce Peacock

Social Science Division, National Park Service

Greetings,

About two weeks ago, we sent a questionnaire to your household. The survey asked about your opinions on how the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River should be operated. Hearing from your household is very important. If you have already completed and returned the questionnaire, please accept our sincere thanks. If you have not done so, we would still very much like to hear from your household.

Even if you have never heard about Glen Canyon Dam prior to receiving this survey, your opinions are very important for this study. You don’t need to have any special knowledge about hydroelectricity, dam operations, or environmental issues to fill out the survey. The background information sheets enclosed with the survey were prepared to help people understand the relationship between the operations of the dam and downstream cultural and natural resources.

Government officials will soon be making decisions about how to operate the dam. Your participation in the study will help them understand how people in households like yours feel about trade-offs between cultural and natural resources, such as fish, vegetation, and beaches, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and part of Glen Canyon and the production of electricity from Glen Canyon Dam. Answers to this survey will affect future decisions about how the dam is operated.

We could not send this survey to every household in the nation. Your household is part of a relatively small group of households who have been randomly selected to participate in this survey. Your answers will represent the views of many other households similar to yours and will ensure that the opinions of all households are represented in decisions about the operation of the Glen Canyon Dam. To ensure a random selection of respondents within a household, we are asking that the survey be filled out by the adult member of your household with the most recent birthday.

Your name will not be associated with your survey answers. Information from the surveys will only be reported in statistical terms, such as “10 percent of all respondents have seen the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park.”

I have enclosed another copy of the survey in case the first one was lost or misplaced. There is an identification number on the back of the survey so that researchers from the University of Montana, Missoula will know who has already returned the survey and who to send reminders to.

When the survey is completed, simply return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. We hope that you find the survey interesting and enjoyable to fill out. If you have any questions or concerns about this survey or the study, please feel free to call Chris Neher, the survey project manager, at (406) 721-2265.

I appreciate your help in this study.

Sincerely,

Bruce Peacock

Social Science Division, National Park Service