New Melones Lake On-Site Questionnaire

OMB No. 1006-00XX
Expiration Date: xx/xx/2009

New Melones Lake
Sonora, California
OUTDOOR RECREATION
ON-SITE QUESTIONNAIRE

Conducted for
The Bureau of Reclamation

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): This survey is being conducted to assess the current recreation environment at New Melones
Lake. The information will be used to determine the recreation opportunities and facilities visitors would like to see developed at New
Melones. Response to this survey is voluntary. The reporting burden to the public for this form is estimated to average 15 minutes per
response, including time for reviewing the instructions and completing and reviewing the form. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and
Budget control number. Direct comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of these forms to the Bureau of
Reclamation, Attn: E. Vasquez, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630 or call (916) 988-1707 or e-mail
[email protected].
Privacy Act Statement: No Privacy Act information is being collected, and complete anonymity is guaranteed. Information collected
will be compiled in a statistical database; therefore, no direct link to the individual(s) filling out the questionnaire will be available.

U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation

New Melones Lake On-site Questionnaire
This questionnaire asks about your participation in outdoor recreation activities at New
Melones Lake. This information is completely anonymous and very important to the planning
and management of outdoor recreation at New Melones Lake. Please complete this
questionnaire and return it to the interviewer who gave it to you.
These first few questions relate to your visits to New Melones Lake over the past 12 months.
Q1. Including this visit, approximately how many times did you visit New Melones Lake
during the last 12 months?

#

Q2. During the past 12 months, which months did you visit New Melones Lake?
Please check (✔ ) all that apply.
† January
† April
† July
† October
† February
† May
† August
† November
† March
† June
† September
† December
Q3. During the past 12 months, which of the following areas have you visited at New Melones
Lake? Please refer to the map on the New Melones Lake brochure and check (✔ ) all that apply.
† Camp Nine
† Glory Hole
† Angels Creek Launch
† Big Oak Campground
† Black Bart Day Use Area
† Buck Brush Day Use
† Glory Hole Point Launch
† Ironhorse Campground
† Marina
† Osprey Point Day Use
† Mark Twain
† Natural Bridges

† Peoria Wildlife Area
† Tuttletown
† Acorn Campground
† Eagle Point Picnic Area
† Fiddleneck Group Camp
† Heron Point Day Use
† Lupine Day Use
† Manzanita Campground
† Oak Knoll Group Camp
† Tuttletown Launch
† Visitor Center
† Other (specify)

Q4. During a typical visit, approximately how many days and
hours did you stay at New Melones Lake?

Typical Visit
Day(s) ____Hour(s)____

During this visit, how many days and hours are you staying
at New Melones Lake?

This Visit
Day(s) ____Hour(s)____

1

Q5. For each of the following recreation activities, please give your best estimate of the total
number of days that you participated in that activity at New Melones Lake during the past 12
months. Include even those days when you did the activity for only a short period of time. Write
your best estimate on the line to the right of each activity. If you did not participate in an activity,
please enter a zero (0) in the blank for that activity.
Outdoor Recreation Activity

Number of Days

01 Walking or jogging for fitness and fun
02 Walking a pet
03 Trail hiking
04 Bicycling on paved surfaces
05 Bicycling on unpaved trails or mountain biking
06 Bicycle racing
07 Picnicking in developed sites
08 Camping
09 Camping in a group campsite
10 Wildlife viewing, bird watching, or viewing natural scenery
11 Gathering mushrooms, berries, or other natural products
12 Hunting (deer, turkey, upland game, quail, etc.)
13 Using open space areas (casual & unstructured activities, relaxing, sunning, etc.).
14 Horseback riding and events
15 Beach activities (including sun bathing, picnicking, etc.).
16 Swimming
17 Motor boating
18 Houseboating/overnight boating
19 Using personal watercraft
20 Water skiing or wakeboarding
21 Sailing or windsurfing
22 Whitewater rafting, kayaking, or canoeing
23 Flatwater rowing, kayaking, or canoeing
24 Tournament fishing
25 Shoreline fishing/boat fishing
26 Driving for pleasure, sightseeing, driving through natural scenery
27 Ranger/guide led walks and programs
28 Visiting the visitor center, museum, or historic or cultural sites,
30 Rock climbing/bouldering
31 Orienteering/geo-caching

2

Outdoor Recreation Activity (Q5 Continued)

Number of Days

32 Caving/spelunking
33 Gold panning/gold prospecting
34 Radio controlled aircraft
35 Seaplane activities
36 Participating in special events (please specify______________________________)
37 Other_______________________________________________________________

Q6. Please select up to 5 of the activities listed in Q5 that have been important to you
when you visit New Melones Lake and place the activity numbers in the spaces provided.
Most important activity . . . . . .#_____

Fourth most important . . . . . . #_____

Second most important. . . . . .#_____

Fifth most important. . . . . . . . #_____

Third most important. . . . . . . .#_____
Q7. Please select up to 5 of the activities listed in Q5 that you would have enjoyed if
opportunities, facilities, and programs had been available to you at New Melones Lake
and place the activity numbers in the spaces provided.
Most important activity . . . . . .#_____

Fourth most important . . . . . . #_____

Second most important. . . . . .#_____

Fifth most important. . . . . . . . #_____

Third most important. . . . . . . .#_____
Q8. Using the list below, please check (✔ ) all the barriers that may have prevented you from
participating in the activities you listed in Q7 at New Melones Lake (NML).
Barriers to Outdoor Recreation Activities
† I do not know enough about the activity.

† I do not know enough about NML.

† It is too far from where I live to NML

† I do not have time or I’m too busy.

† The facilities are too limited at NML.

† The activity is too expensive.

† The facilities are too crowded at NML.

† Some facilities are too expensive at NML.

† The staff at NML is too limited or unavailable.

† Some facilities are not clean at NML.

† I do not feel safe at NML.

† My friends or family don’t go to NML.

† I prefer to go some other place to recreate.

† Some rowdy undesirable people go to NML.

† I prefer a different physical environment than

† The activity requires equipment I do not

is found at NML

own, cannot rent, or cannot borrow.

† Other:

3

These next few questions apply to your current visit to New Melones Lake.
Q9. During this visit to New Melones Lake, are you visiting alone, with friends and/or family, or
with an organized group (sports team, church, scouts, school, work, etc.)? Please check (✔ ) all
the that apply.
† Alone
† Family and/or Friends
† Organized Group
† Other (specify) _____________________________
Q10. Including yourself, how many people are in your group?

#
How many vehicles(cars, RVs, etc.) did your group drive to New Melones Lake?

#

Q11. During this visit, which of the following areas have you visited or do you plan to visit? Please
refer to the map on the New Melones Lake brochure and check (✔ ) all that apply.
† Camp Nine
† Peoria Wildlife Area
† Glory Hole
† Tuttletown
† Angels Creek Launch
† Acorn Campground
† Big Oak Campground
† Eagle Point Picnic Area
† Black Bart Day Use Area
† Fiddleneck Group Camp
† Buck Brush Day Use
† Heron Point Day Use
† Glory Hole Point Launch
† Lupine Day Use
† Ironhorse Campground
† Manzanita Campground
† Marina
† Oak Knoll Group Camp
† Osprey Point Day Use
† Tuttletown Launch
† Mark Twain
† Visitor Center
† Natural Bridges
† Other (specify)
Q12. During this visit, how would you rate the quality of recreation facilities and services at New
Melones Lake? Please indicate how satisfied you were with the facilities and services by
checking (✔ ) the corresponding box or boxes.
Very
Satisfied

Mostly
Satisfied

An Even Mix of
Satisfied &
Dissatisfied

Mostly
Dissatisfied

Very
Dissatisfied

No
Opinion

Safety of areas and facilities

†

†

†

†

†

†

Frequency of ranger patrols

†

†

†

†

†

†

Maintenance of campsites

†

†

†

†

†

†

Size and lay-out of campsites

†

†

†

†

†

†

Maintenance of restrooms

†

†

†

†

†

†

Maintenance of picnic areas

†

†

†

†

†

†

Maintenance of trails

†

†

†

†

†

Length of trails

†

†

†
†

†

†

†

Quality of the marina (fueling dock & slips)

†

†

†

†

†

†

Quality of interpretive programs

†

†

†

†

†

†

Types of
Facilities and Services

4

Q13. During this visit, how would you rate the quantity of facilities? Please indicate if New Melones
Lake has the right number of these facilities by checking (✔ ) the corresponding box.
Way Too
Many

Too
Many

Just Right

Too
Few

Way Too
Few

No
Opinion

Number of campground hosts

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of restroom facilities

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of biking/hiking trails

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of equestrian trails

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of tent campsites w/showers

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of RV campsites w/hookups

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of group campsites

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of lake access points

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of boat launch facilites

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of docks/temporary moorage

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of parking spaces

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of fish cleaning stations

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of group picnic sites

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of swimming areas

†

†

†

†

†

†

Number of interpretive programs

†

†

†

†

†

†

Types of Facilities and Services

In the
Next 12 Months

In the
Next 2 to 5 Years

In the
Next 6 to 20 Years

Sometime In
Morethan 20 Years

This Improvement
Is Not Needed

No Opinion

Q14. For each of the possible improvements at New Melones Lake listed in the following table,
please indicate when the improvements listed should be implemented in the next 12
months, in the next 2 to 5 years, in the next 6 to 20 years, sometime in more than 20 years, or if
the improvement should not be implemented by checking (✔ ) the corresponding box.

Provide more educational programs and services.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Increase the presence of uniformed law enforcement personnel.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Provide a non-motorized boating zone for rowing or kayaking

†

†

†

†

†

†

Provide more boat launching facilities

†

†

†

†

†

†

Provide boat-in or floating campsites.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Provide more houseboat rental services and facilities.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Increase parking at boat ramps and campgrounds

†

†

†

†

†

†

To improve recreation at New Melones Lake,
management should……..

5

In the
Next 12 Months

In the
Next 2 to 5 Years

In the
Next 6 to 20 Years

Sometime In
More than 20 Years

This Improvement Is
Not Needed

No Opinion

Provide lodging facilities such as rustic cabins, tent cabins, etc.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Provide more group picnic and/or campsites that accommodate
large families or groups of 20 or more persons

†

†

†

†

†

†

Construct more tent campsites with hot showers.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Construct more RV campsites with pull-through sites, electrical &
water hookups with sewer dump stations or sewer hookups.

†

†

†

†

†

†

Provide additional lake access areas

†

†

†

†

†

†

Develop more multi-use, non-motorized trails for horseback riding,
hiking and/or mountain biking

†

†

†

†

†

†

To improve recreation at New Melones Lake,
management should……..
(Q14 continued)

These last few questions are for classification purposes only. Your responses will remain
anonymous and will be combined with responses of other survey participants for reporting as
averages.
Q15. What is the zip code at your home?
Q16. What is your gender?

† Male

† Female

Q17. What is the highest grade level of education you have completed?
†
†
†
†

Did not graduate high school
High school graduate
Some college but no degree
Associate degree

†
†
†
†

Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Professional degree
Doctorate degree

Q18. In what year were you born?
Q19. Please list the age of each person who lives in your household beginning with the oldest and
ending with the youngest.

6

Q20. Which of the following categories best describes your total annual household income (the total
combined incomes for all members of your household before taxes)?
†
†
†
†

†
†
†
†

Under $20,000
$20,000 to $34,999
$35,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $149,999
$150,000 to $1999,000
$200,000 or more

The two questions below are designed to describe your ethnicity and race. Regardless of
your answer to question 21, please go to question 22.
Q21. Are You Hispanic or Latino, i.e., a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central
American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race?
† Yes
† No
Q22. Please select one or more racial categories with which you most closely identify and
check(✔ ) all that apply.
† American Indian or Alaska Native
† Asian
† Black or African American
† Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
† White
Finally, please use the space below for any comments you may have about outdoor recreation areas
and facilities at New Melones Lake. Please use the back of this page if you need more space. Thank
you for your assistance.
Comments:

Thank you for your time and participation in the survey!
Please return your completed questionnaire to the interviewer who gave it to you.
If you have comments on this survey or recreation at New Melones Lake we want to hear from you!
Please contact the Bureau of Reclamation by phone at (916) 988-1707, via e-mail at
[email protected], or mail your comments to the Bureau of Reclamation, Attn: E. Vasquez,
7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630.
7