Characteristics of boat-based aquatic recreation in Adirondack lakes

Lake and Reservoir Management

Michale Glennon & Dan Kelting

Aquatic recreation is a stronghold of the economy of the Adirondack Park, a landscape abundant in lakes, ponds, and rivers. Using data from a large-scale aquatic invasive species spread prevention program, we summarized boat-based recreation patterns on 39 Adirondack lakes from 2015 to 2020, including numbers and types of boats, launch dates and times (month, day of week, time of day), group sizes, and physical/geographic, aesthetic/impairment, and social/amenity characteristics of lakes that were associated with highest levels of use. Motorboats were the most prevalent vessels on Adirondack lakes, followed by kayaks, personal watercraft, and canoes. Use peaked at midday and during July for most vessel types. Spatiotemporal patterns of weekday and weekend use were similar, but approximately twice as many boats were documented on weekends. Mean numbers of boats could be predicted by relatively few variables, and motorboat use was highest on large lakes with marinas located close to interstate highways. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to common lake management challenges.