Standards of quality for river use within the Fort Niobrara Wilderness area

The visual survey methodology of Manning and others (1996) was used to measure visitor response to the number of other floaters encountered on the Niobrara River within the Fort Niobrara Wilderness in Nebraska. An optical scanner and photo-editing software were used to produce 12 composite photographs of the Niobrara River, depicting a range of visitor use levels. In a survey administered to 235 visitors in June and July 1998, respondents were asked to rate the acceptability of each photograph, first from the viewpoint of a recreational experience and second from the standpoint of a wilderness experience. Analysis of the data suggests two standards of quality. The maximum acceptable level of crowding during peak demand periods is equivalent to eight persons launching per minute, and the level of crowding at which visitor satisfaction begins to decline is equivalent to three persons launching per minute.