Recreation Use Data Report

Recreation Use Data Report Instructions

General Instructions for filling out the Recreation Use Data Report (RUDR)

• All fields within form 7-2534 are required to be filled out in order to successfully complete and submit the form.

• If there is more than one managing entity within a Recreation / Wildlife Area (Area) each entity will fill out a separate form to ensure inclusion of all lands, waterbodies, amenities, concessions operations, revenues and expenses, authorizations, and visitor information that should be accounted for under their management agreement.

• If there is more than one Recreation / Wildlife Area within a Reclamation Project Area (Project), each Recreation / Wildlife Area needs to be reported separately by using a new form for each Area. Please refer to the definition below for a Recreation Area.

Definitions

• Reclamation Project: A Reclamation Project means any water supply, water delivery, flood control, or hydropower project, together with associated facilities for fish, wildlife, recreation, or water treatment, constructed or administered by Reclamation under the Federal reclamation laws (the Act of June 17, 1902 [32Stat. 388, chapter 1093; 43 U.S.C. 371 et. seq.] and acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof).

• Recreation Area: A recreation area can be considered a recreation complex consisting of, among other things, a water body, campgrounds, day use areas, parking areas, boat ramps, restrooms, road and trail systems, and visitor centers. A recreation area may also contain multiple sites (e.g., campgrounds).

• Surfaced Roads: Surfaced roads are those roads that have been improved with the addition of source materials such as gravel, asphalt, and concrete.

• Total Project Lands: Total Project Lands are the number of land and water surface acres that are part of an official Reclamation project.

• Total Recreation Land Area: Total Recreation Land Area is the number of land acres that encompass the defined recreation area and that are under a management agreement with a partner, or defined recreation area that is solely managed by Reclamation. This total should also include those acres within the recreation area that may be designated as special use areas that are closed to public use pursuant to 43 CFR part 423, Public Conduct on Bureau of Reclamation Facilities, Lands, and Waterbodies, and any interior ponds or open water areas that are not part of the main reservoir water surface.

• Total Reservoir Surface Area: Total Reservoir Surface Area is the contiguous water surface acres at the site where there is a defined recreation and/or wildlife area that is being reported on this form. This total should also reflect those water surface acres that may be designated as special use areas that are closed to public use pursuant to 43 CFR part 423.

• Total Wildlife Land Area: Total Wildlife Land Area is the number of land acres that encompass the defined wildlife area and that re under a management agreement with a partner, or a defined wildlife area that is solely managed by Reclamation. This total should also reflect those land acres within the wildlife area that may be designated as special use areas that are closed to public use pursuant to 43 CFR part 423, and any interior ponds or open water areas that are not part of the main reservoir water surface area.

• Wildlife Area: A wildlife area can be considered a defined area that is managed primarily for wildlife purposes by a wildlife management agency under an agreement with Reclamation. A wildlife area may also contain sites that could be considered a recreation area, but it would only be incidental to the overall management of the area for wildlife purposes.

1. Background Information – This section is dedicated to collecting the general information for a single recreation area. A recreation area will only have one manager, whether it be the Bureau of Reclamation or a Managing Partner. Should there be multiple Management Agreements resulting in multiple managing entities at a reservoir (i.e., Belle Fourche Reservoir: Bureau of Reclamation and South Dakota Fame, Fish and Parks) they should be treated as separate Recreation/Wildlife Areas and a form should be filled out for each area.

• Reclamation Project – Select from the provided drop-down list of authorized Reclamation Projects.

• Recreation/Wildlife Area – Enter the most commonly used name of the Recreation/Wildlife Area. This will become the sole name used for future RUDR reporting years.

• Management Entity/Partner – Enter the most current official name of the managing entity/partner that has entered into the management agreement for the recreation area. Note: If over the term of the agreement, the managing partner has officially changed its name, enter the new name.

• Address – Enter the address for the entity that is managing the recreation area.

• Management Agreement Number – Enter the number that has been assigned to the contract by Reclamation.

• Last Reclamation Review/Inspection Date - Enter the date of the last Recreation Review or Inspection conducted at the recreation area by Reclamation. The review/inspection should be in compliance with Reclamation Manual Directive and Standards, Recreation Program Management, LND 01-03, and any type of review or inspection conducted at the area that was associated with contract compliance.

• Management Authorities – Select YES or No in each of the authority types. If the authority applies to the recreation area, select YES or select NO if the authority is not applicable. If there is an alternative authority that is not listed, enter the authority in the box labeled “Other Authority.”

• Additional Comments – Enter any additional information that you were unable to enter in the predefined fields that may be necessary to explain any significant adjustments from the previous year.

2. Contact Information – Enter the contact information for each individual that took part in the completion of the form and is responsible for the accuracy of the information provided.

3. Concession Information – This section is to be used to supply the information for all concession operations authorized to operate within the recreation area. If there are no authorized concession operations this section can be left blank.

   • Concession Name – Enter the most commonly used name for the concession operation.

   • Legal Name of Owner(s) – Enter the legal name or names of the owners of the concession operation.

   • Contract Number – Enter the contract/lease/authorization number assigned to the concession operation which was given by Reclamation at the time the contract was entered.

   • Contract Issued By – Enter the name of the entity that issued the contract/lease/authorization (i.e., Reclamation or managing partner).

   • Approval/Expiration Date – Enter the most recent approval date for the operation of the concession and the date at which the contract is due to expire.

   • Annual Visitation – Enter the annual visitation number for each concession area within the recreation area.

   • Operation, Maintenance, and Capital Improvement Expenses: Enter the operation and maintenance expenses and capital improvement expenses for the 12-month reporting period. Replacement expenses as well as salaries will be considered as an operation and maintenance expense. A capital improvement expense is to be considered those funds that have been allocated for construction of new facilities and components within the concession area.

   • Revenues: Enter the total gross receipts for each of the concession areas that are within the Recreation Area. The total gross receipts should include all revenues from concessions, sub-concessions, and other source revenues that have resulted from the concession operation.

   • Fees Paid to Managing Entity: Enter the total amount of fees the concession operation paid to the managing entity, if separate from Reclamation.

   • Fees Paid to Reclamation: Enter the total amount of fees the concession operation paid to Reclamation.

   • Fees Paid to Other: Enter the total amount of fees the concession operation paid to other entities besides Reclamation and/or the managing partner. For example, this could include a fee or assessment paid to a county or city for fire protection, police protection, sewer/water, etc.

   • Land Acres Occupied: Enter the total land acres designated/occupied by the concession operation.

   • Water Acres Occupied: Enter the total water surface acres designated/occupied by the concession operation.

   • Peak Season Dates: Enter the peak season timeframe using the opening and closing of the peak season. This will include a month and day of opening and a month and day of the conclusion of peak season.

   • Annual Financial Report: Indicate whether a Reclamation Annual Financial Report has been prepared for the current reporting year by selecting yes or no.

4. Use Authorization: This section is used to identify recreation related use authorizations. A use authorization is a document that defines the terms and conditions under which we will allow others to use Reclamation land, facilities, and waterbodies. Use authorizations can take the form of easements, leases, licenses, permits, and consent documents.

• Non-Profit Organization/Facilities: Identify all the non-profit organizations, the authority granting the use, type of authorization, the type of use provided, and the facilities that are owned and operated on the Recreation Area. The information should be for those non-profits that are authorized directly by Reclamation or its recreation or wildlife managing partner.

• Exclusive Uses: List the quantity, type of each exclusive use, and a very brief description of the use and the general location. This section applies only to areas managed by Reclamation or a partner; it does not apply to exclusive use that may exist within a defined concession area.

• Other Recreational Use Authorizations: List the quantity of other recreational use authorizations, the purpose for which the use authorization was issued, and a very brief description of the use authorization and the general location where the use occurs.

5. Entire Recreation/Wildlife Area Measurements: This section will be used to enter the measurements and details for the ENTIRE recreation area which will include land and water acreage, trails and road miles, and the quantity of Access Points and Invasive Species Inspection Stations.

   • Project Lands: Enter the total acres within the Reclamation project including those areas that may be officially closed to public use for specific reasons.

   • Reservoir Surface Area: Enter the total surface acres at normal water surface elevation. Information can be located from Definite Plan Reports, or capacity curves, etc.

   • Recreation Land Area: Enter the total land acres that are only within the defined recreation area. Only enter the acres that are part of the Reclamation project; not adjacent lands that may have been purchased by a partner for recreation purposes.

   • Wildlife Land Area: Enter the total land acres that have been established for wildlife purposes. The total acres will include those areas that may be permanently or temporarily closed for public use or open to the general public for wildlife viewing, photography, hunting, etc. Only enter the acres that are part of the Reclamation project; not adjacent lands that may have been purchased by a partner for wildlife purposes

   • Reservoir Shoreline: Enter the miles of measured shoreline at normal water surface elevation. Include the shoreline that may be closed to public use as well as the shoreline that may be designated for a concession operation.

   • All Designated Trails and Paths: Enter the total mileage, in decimals (i.e., 1.5), for all motorized vehicle trails (e.g. off-highway vehicle trails) and non-motorized, multi-use trails (e.g. biking, hiking, jogging, and horse riding trails) managed within the boundaries of the defined recreation/wildlife area. Do not include surfaced and non-surfaced roads that are used by the general public for ingress and egress to the recreation/wildlife area.

   • Surfaced Roads: Enter the total number of miles in decimals (i.e., 1.5) of surfaced roads within the defined recreation/wildlife area used by the general public. Do not include the miles of maintenance roads used solely by the managing entity.

   • Non-Surfaced Roads: Enter the total number of miles in decimals (i.e., 1.5) of non-surfaced roads within the defined recreation/wildlife area used by the general public. Do not include the miles of maintenance roads used solely by the managing entity.

   • Reservoir Access Points: Enter the total amount of reservoir access points that are, or can be, used to launch recreational watercraft that would be subject to invasive species inspection.

   • Invasive Species Inspection/Decontamination Stations: Enter the total amount of invasive species inspection stations and decontamination stations.

   • All Concession Land and All Concession Water Surface: These sections will be automatically populated based on the information collected in Section 3 of this form, Concession Information.

6. Visitor Information

   • Recreation Area Manager: (Annual Visitation Number): Enter the number of visitors for the 12-month reporting period. This figure should not include the visitation accounted for by a concession operation.

   • Recreation Area Manager: (Peak Season Months): Enter the peak season period by entering the “from” and “to” dates.

   • Concessionaire(s): This section will be automatically populated based on the information collected in Section 3 of this form, Concession Information.

7. Revenues, Expenses, and Expenditures: This section will capture the total revenues, expenses, and expenditures for Reclamation, the managing partner (if applicable), and all concessionaires (if applicable).

Annual Revenue (Reclamation and Managing Partners)

• Entrance: Enter the total reported amount of all recreation entrance fees collected by the managing entity for the 12-month reporting period.

• Use: Enter the most commonly charged fees for a certain activity. This includes, among other fees, the use fee charged for camping, picnicking, boating, parking, etc. This can only be a single dollar amount and should be independent of all other fees.

• Visitor Center/Tour: Enter the total reported amount of visitor center/tour fees collected by the managing entity for the 12-month reporting period.

• Use Authorizations: Enter the total reported amount of recreation permit fees (including guides, special recreation event permits, etc.) collected by the managing entity for the 12-month reporting period.

• Other: Enter the most commonly charged fee, if any, which cannot be addressed in the other above listed fee categories.

Expenses & Expenditures

• Operation, Maintenance, and Capital Improvement: Enter the operation and maintenance expenses and capital improvement expenses for the 12-month reporting period. Replacement expenses as well as salaries will be considered as an operation and maintenance expense. A capital improvement expense is to be considered those funds that have been allocated for construction of new facilities and components within the recreation/wildlife area regardless of how the finance departments of Reclamation or its managing partners capitalize annual expenses in their records.

Concessions: All concessions information within this section will be automatically populated based on the information collected in Section 3 of this form, Concession Information.

8. Activity Ranking: Enter the letter of the most popular four activities listed in Section 9 with the most popular listed first and the second most popular activity listed second, etc.

9. Facilities Inventory, Designated Areas, and Recreation Opportunities – Complete Recreation Area: Within each fillable cell, enter the quantity/number of available items. In the rows that that have multiple columns labeled Qty (Quantity), DW (Drinking Water), E (Electricity), and S (Sewer), enter the availability of each item.

Ex. This example indicates that at the Recreation Area there is one Campground available for public use. Drinking water and electricity are available within that campground. The campground has a total of 40 Campsites. Drinking water is available within a reasonable distance of the camp sites. Additionally, of the 40 sites, electricity is available at only 25 of the sites. Sewer is not available at the campground; therefore, it is not available at any of the individual sites.

This section should be completed keeping in mind the entire Recreation Area, including the areas that may be managed by a concessionaire.