Lake Hickory is located downstream of Lake Rhodhiss and northeast of Hickory in Caldwell, Burke, Catawba, and Alexander counties, North Carolina. Lake Hickory has a surface area of about 4,223 acres and 106.4 shoreline miles at full pond elevation of 935 feet msl. Table 4.3-1 summarizes the shoreline classification for Lake Hickory, based on the SMP maps.

There are 5 developed and 1 undeveloped Duke Power-owned public recreation access locations on Lake Hickory. There are 2 city parks operated by the City of Hickory, John Geitner Park and Glen C. Hilton Park, and one county park, River Bend Park, located about 800 feet downstream of the Oxford dam and operated by Catawba County. Figure 4.3-1 shows the public recreation access locations. In addition, there are 7 commercial non-residential marinas that provide additional public access on Lake Hickory. The following sections describe the Duke-owned public access areas, summarize the facilities at the county parks, and provide estimates of the number and type of commercial recreational access facilities at Lake Hickory.

Existing Duke-Owned Public Access Areas

The developed Duke-owned public access areas provide about 222 acres of land and about 20,108 feet of shoreline frontage of public access at Lake Hickory. Combined, the developed access areas have 16 public boat ramps, 9 loading piers, 3 fishing piers, and about 445 parking spaces for car/trailers and 34 spaces for cars. Table 4.3-2 summarizes the facilities at the public access areas. The undeveloped access area provides about 20 acres and 551 feet of shoreline frontage for future public recreational development.

Click Here to View Full Figure 4.3-1 Lake Hickory Public Recreation Access Areas

In the 1994 SMP, Duke Power proposed to improve the Gunpowder access area (replace 1 ramp with 2 new boat ramps and replace the pier), the Lovelady access area (replace 1 ramp with 2 new boat ramps), the Whittenburg access area (replace 3 ramps with 6 new boat ramps, replace the piers with 3 new piers, light the site and provide 165 paved parking spaces), and the Dusty Ridge access area (replace the 2 boat ramps, replace the pier and pave the site). In addition, Duke Power said it would add 5 acres to the Gunpowder site (8 acres added) and add 35 acres to the Lovelady site (42 added). All of the commitments from the 1994 SMP will be completed by the end of 2001. Additional projects that have been completed are the provision of handicapped fishing opportunities at the Whittenburg access area in cooperation with the NCWRC and the relocation of the Long Shoals access area on 53 acres of land (4 new boat ramps, 2 new loading piers, 120 paved parking spaces and lighting of the site).

*   Vehicle/Trailer parking area.
**  Undeveloped site

County and City Public Recreation Facilities

There are one county park and two city park facilities located along the Lake Hickory shoreline. The two city parks, Glen C. Hilton Park and John Geitner Park, are located along the upper portion of Lake Hickory along the southern shoreline and are owned and operated by the City of Hickory. The City of Hickory also has 2 undeveloped park sites on the lake. The River Bend Park is located approximately 800 feet downstream of the Oxford Hydroelectric Station and is operated by Catawba County. Table 4.3-3 summarizes the key characteristics of these facilities.

Existing Commercial and Private Recreation Access

In addition to the Duke-owned public access areas and the state and county parks, the public can gain access to Lake Hickory through commercial non-residential and commercial residential marinas. Private access to Lake Hickory is through private marinas and private piers along the Lake Hickory shoreline. Table 4.3-4 shows the number and type of public and private commercial non-residential and commercial residential marina facilities. Table 4.3-5 shows the estimated number of private piers.

Site-Specific Descriptions of Duke-owned Public Access Areas at Lake Hickory

The following section provides a description of each Duke-owned public access area at Lake Hickory, including a photograph, site characterisitics, site recreation facilities, and key recreation activities.

Gunpowder Access Area

The Gunpowder access area is located in the upper portion of Lake Hickory along the northern shoreline north of Hickory, North Carolina. Table 4.3-6 summarizes key site characteristics for the Gunpowder access area.

Lovelady Access Area

The Lovelady access area is located in the upper middle portion of Lake Hickory along the northern shoreline in Caldwell County, North Carolina. Table 4.3-7 summarizes key site characteristics for the Lovelady access area.

Wittenburg Access Area

The Wittenburg access area is located in the middle portion of Lake Hickory along the northern shoreline, in Alexander County, North Carolina. Table 4.3-8 summarizes key site characteristics for the Wittenburg access area.

Dusty Ridge Access Area

The Dusty Ridge access area is located in the lower portion of Lake Hickory along the northern shoreline in Alexander County, North Carolina. Table 4.3-9 summarizes key site characteristics for the Dusty Ridge access area.

Oxford Access Area

The Oxford access area is located in the lower portion of Lake Hickory along the southern shoreline, just upstream of the Oxford Hydroelectric Station. Table 4.3-10 summarizes key site characteristics for the Oxford access area.

Long Shoals Undeveloped Area

The Long Shoals undeveloped area is located in the middle portion of Lake Hickory along the southern shoreline off Road 1652 in Catawba County, North Carolina. Table 4.3-11 summarizes key site characteristics for the Long Shoals access area.

Recreation Use

Visitation at the public access areas on Lake Hickory was derived based on estimates of the traffic entering the Duke-owned public access areas. Total estimated visitation during the 1999 study period for Lake Hickory at these sites was about 299,009 visits. Figure 4.3-7 shows the distribution of the visitation for each month at Lake Hickory for the Duke-owned public access areas during the 1999 study period. A visit is considered a vehicle or vehicle/trailer entering the site for any part of a day.

Table 4.3-12 provides a summary of the estimated recreation visitation based on the traffic counter data for the sampled sites during the 1999 study period. Wittenburg and Oxford were estimated to have the greatest amount of use at about 43 percent and 28 percent, respectively, of the total estimated use at the Lake Hickory Duke-owned access areas.

Spot counts were conducted at five sites for Lake Hickory, Dusty Ridge, Gunpowder, Lovelady, Oxford, and Wittenburg Access areas. Table 4.3-13 lists the number of sample days per month for the spot count data collection.

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Based on survey data input, the estimated ratio for annual visits to the project area for Survey B respondents (respondents that use both public and private access areas) compared to Survey C respondents (respondents at the public access areas) was about a ratio of 1.41 to 1. The estimated overall recreational visitation for Lake Hickory for the 1999 study period totaled 423,317 visits.

The total number of surveys received for each survey is listed in Table 4.3-14. Survey D was conducted of marina operators, therefore numbers of surveys sent and received were low. Figure 4.3-8 shows the distribution of recreation activity type for Survey A, Survey B, and Survey C categories. Figure 4.3-9 shows the distribution of recreation activity type combining data from Surveys A, B, and C, spot counts and tailrace counts. Based on the combined data sources, the primary recreation activities for Lake Hickory during the 1999 study period were bank/pier fishing and boat fishing. For Lake Hickory, respondents indicated that for Survey A, about 4 percent recreated on the islands; for Survey B about 4 percent; and for Survey C, no respondents indicated they recreated on the islands. The combined responses to Surveys A, B, and C indicated that about 2 percent overall recreated on the islands.

For Lake Hickory, the average party size (average number of recreators in each party) for respondents to Survey A was 3.6 people, for Survey B was 3.2 people, and for Survey C was 2.5. The average party size for all three groups (A, B, and C) was 2.9. The average number of visits per year for Survey B was 64.3, for Survey C was 31.4, and for combined Survey B and C was 45.3. The average length of stay for Survey B respondents was 7.1 hours, for Survey C respondents was 4.5 hours, and for combined Survey B and C was 5.6 hours. About 9 percent of the respondents to Surveys A and B indicated that Lake Hickory was the lake they primarily recreated on within the Catawba-Wateree system. For Survey A about 8 percent and for Survey B about 5 percent of the respondents indicated they had land abutting Lake Hickory.

Table 4.3-15 summarizes the perceived crowding ratings for Lake Hickory for each survey type, including responses to Surveys D and E and a combined rating for Survey A, B, and C responses. Recreators on Lake Hickory (Surveys A and B indicated that weekday crowding was about mid-range (on a scale of 1 to 5), and weekend crowding was rated as high for survey respondents to Surveys A and B. For respondents at the public access areas (Survey C), weekday crowding and weekend crowding was rated as low for both time periods. Only one marina owner responded for Lake Hickory and indicated low crowding levels during the week and high on the weekends. The lake rescue and management groups indicated mid-range crowding ratings for weekdays and high crowding ratings for weekends.

*Weighted Average.

Boating Use

Figure 4.3-10 shows the distribution of boating activity type for Lake Hickory based on Surveys A, B, and C individually when comparing the percentage of each boating activity type to the overall boating use. The average boating party size was 3.6 for Survey A, 3.2 for Survey B, 2.5 for Survey C, and 2.9 for the combined responses for Surveys A, B, and C. The average number of hours boating was indicated as 3.1 hours for Survey A; 4.5 hours for Survey B; 4.6 hours for Survey C; and 4.3 hours for the combined responses for Surveys A, B, and C.

Of the individuals surveyed who primarily recreated on Lake Hickory, about 96 percent of the Survey A respondents owned boats. For Survey B respondents, about 91 percent owned boats; about 70 percent of the Survey C respondents owned boats; and for the combined responses for Surveys A, B, and C, about 82 percent of the respondents owned boats.

Table 4.3-16 summarizes the distribution of boat ownership by type of boat for Lake Hickory. Motor boats comprised over 60 percent of the boat ownership, as compared to the other boat categories, followed by jet skis at about 17 percent. The ownership of motor boat types was about 41 percent for small motor boats (ranging 20 feet or less in size) and about 18 percent for medium motor boats (ranging between 21 to 40 feet in size).

Figure 4.3-11 shows the period of the day the respondents indicated they primarily boated, for Surveys A, B, and C. For Survey A about 7 percent, for Survey B about 11 percent, and for Survey C about 13 percent indicated they primarily launched boats at Lake Hickory. For the combined responses for Surveys A, B, and C, about 11 percent of the respondents launched boats at Lake Hickory, as compared to the other lakes within the Catawba-Wateree system.

The overall boat carrying capacity is assessed based on the peak boating use estimates obtained during the aerial flyovers in the 1999 study period. The available boating acreage was adjusted from the base boats per acreage estimate (see Table 4.3-17) by the following factors (Warren and Rea, 1989):

Table 4.3-18 summarizes the assessment of the allowable overall boat capacity based on the usable water surface acreage and the boating activity mix identified from the surveys. Table 4.3-19 provides the assessment of the percent capacity of the boat use for Lake Hickory on the peak day during the 1999 study period. Lake Hickory during the weekday was estimated at 38 percent capacity, during the weekend at 55 percent capacity, and during the peak holiday period at 71 percent capacity for overall boating use.

Boat Activity	Usable Acreage	Use Factor	Max. No. Boats	% Usage	Boat Activity Mix	Persons/ Boat	Total Users
Fishing	4,208	8.0	526	33%	175	3.14	550
Canoe/Kayak	4,208	2.0	2,104	6%	126	3.26	411
Motor Boating	2,827	15.0	188	29%	55	3.90	215
Sailing	2,827	8.0	353	4%	14	3.36	47
Jet Skiing	2,827	8.0	353	15%	53	3.85	204
Water Skiing	2,827	17.0	166	13%	22	4.39	97
Total				100%	445		1,524

The overall boat carrying capacity assessment provides an assessment of the total surface area available for boating use. To assess the areas of the lakes with higher density of boating use, the general location of boating activity was recorded during the aerial flyovers for each day of aerial coverage. Figure 4.3-12 shows the location of boats during the peak use day for Lake Hickory. Figure 4.3-13 shows the boating density on Lake Hickory for the peak use day and denotes areas where the greatest clustering of boating activity occurred. Figure 4.3-14 shows the boat density map based on the composite of the 5 highest boating use days. This figure illustrates the areas where boating use most often occurred during the peak use days during the study period and provides an assessment of areas where high density boating occurred during the study period.

Click Here to View Full Figure 4.3-12 Lake Hickory Peak Use Day Boat Counts

Click Here to View Full Figure 4.3-13 Lake Hickory Peak Use Day Boat Density Map

Click Here to View Full Figure 4.3-14 Lake Hickory Composite Peak Use Boat Density Map

Lake Hickory Estimated Future Recreational Demand

Table 4.3-20 provides the population projections for the counties within 50-60 miles of Lake Hickory reservoir. Population projections were conducted for these impact zones using population data from the Office of State Planning for the counties in North Carolina and from the Office of Research and Statistics for the counties in South Carolina for 1970 through 1990 and population projections from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2000, 2010, and 2020. An average percentage increase for each ten year period was calculated. The impact zone populations were then projected to the year 2050 using the average percentage growth for the entire time period.

Table 4.3-21 provides the estimated recreational use for the impact zone through the year 2050. Current use estimates are based on spot counts and responses to surveys. The recreational use projections were estimated by computing the projected population increase for the impact zone and incorporating indexed values for future recreational use for the various activities. The index values for each activity were obtained from "Outdoor Recreation in American Life: A National Assessment of Demand and Supply Trends" (Cordell, 1999). The indices are based on models that incorporate a number of variables, including age structure of the population, income, race, sex, and population density, as well as other explanatory variables. Full model parameters and estimates are available from the author.

Table 4.3-22 shows the estimated absorption percentage for the four major recreation activities that require specific lands and facilities. Picnicking, swimming, camping, and boating are activities that require specific developed facilities. The other activities listed are dispersed activities that can take place at a variety of undeveloped areas. The estimated 1999 use levels are from Table 4.3-21. The estimated demand is based on the impact zone population (population of all counties within 50-60 miles of the lake). The impact zone population is multiplied by the participation rate for the activity, which was obtained from "Emerging Markets for Outdoor Recreation in the United States: Based on the National Survey on Recreation and the Environment" by H. Ken Cordell, et al. Participation rates are for the South and are similar to 1995 North Carolina SCORP data. Specific participation rates are as follows: swimming, 37.3%; picnicking, 44.8%; camping 22.4%; boating, 45.0%. The product of the impact zone population and participation rates are then multiplied by the estimated of number of days of participation for each activity, which were obtained from the 1995 North Carolina SCORP. The 1999 estimated number of participants for each activity was then divided by the 1999 estimated demand to obtain the estimated absorption percentage. Absorption percentage is defined as the percent of total demand for the impact zone that is met by the individual lake.

Table 4.3-23 provides the estimate of the recreational facilities land acreage needed to meet the future recreational demand through the year 2050. The weighted population is the estimated impact zone population multiplied by the participation rate for each activity. The facility standards and estimated acreage needs for the facility class are based on State SCORPS and FERC Guidelines for Outdoor Recreational Facilities. The facility need is the total facility need for the impact zone based on the weighted population and the facility standards. The total facility need is then multiplied by the absorption percentage to determine the facility need for Lake Hickory. The acreage needs are then based on the Lake Hickory facility need multiplied by per unit acreage needs that are based on State SCORPS and FERC Guidelines for Outdoor Recreation Facilities. For Lake Hickory, it is estimated that 45 acres are required to accommodate future recreational facilities demand through the year 2050. This includes 2 acres of beaches, 3 acres of picnic areas, 5 acres of campsites, and 35 acres of boat ramps.

The estimated acreage needs for the reservoir are total usable acreage needs. Usable land acreage at existing developed public recreation facilities can be counted toward meeting these needs. Duke Power sites, county and state parks, and other private and public agencies will meet these needs. There are a number of state and county parks that are located on lands leased from Duke Power. These areas are not included in the discussion, as Duke Power owned access areas. Duke Power is expected to meet a portion of the future recreational land needs. The entire estimated need will be met by a combination of opportunities from all sources.

At Lake Hickory the most frequently identified recreational facility needs mentioned restrooms and a picnic area. A picnic area and restrooms are proposed at the Dusty Ridge access area to help meet theses needs.

*Boating Activities

Recreators were asked in the surveys if existing recreational facilities within the Catawba-Wateree system met their recreational needs. For Lake Hickory, about 82 percent of Survey A; 73 percent for Survey B; 79 percent for Survey C; and 78 percent for combined Surveys A, B, and C, of the respondents stated that the existing facilities met their needs. The primary facilities that were indicated as needed at Lake Hickory included more boat ramps, restroom facilities, picnic areas, and restaurant facilities around the lake. In response to whether additional boating facilities were needed, about 74 percent for Survey A; 84 percent for Survey B; 86 percent for Survey C; and 83 percent for combined Surveys A, B, and C, felt that the existing boating facilities were adequate. The primary boating facilities that were indicated as needed at Lake Hickory included more marinas, pump out stations, and gas pumps.

About 52 percent for Survey A (n=27); 25 percent for Survey B (n=56); 9 percent for Survey C (n=76); and 21 percent for the combined Surveys A, B, and C (n=107), indicated they had a negative experience while recreating. Respondents to Surveys A and B commented on negative encounters with inconsiderate boaters, and commented there was trash and debris in the area. About 30 percent for Survey A (n=27); 36 percent for Survey B (n=56); 11 percent for Survey C (n=76); and 23 percent for the combined Surveys A, B, and C (n=159), indicated they had felt jeopardized while recreating. The primary reasons listed for the negative experiences and incidences when recreators felt jeopardized were the result of reckless and inconsiderate boating and jet ski use by other recreators.

In terms of responses to additional comments, many respondents to Surveys A, B, and C stated concerns associated with boating use and safety on Lake Hickory. The primary concerns were related safety factors associated with improper use of jet skis and boats, including effects of irresponsible jet skiing and boating, boat wakes, and boat users not understanding and/or adhering to boat laws and common sense boating safety measures. Several respondents also indicated the need for more boating patrol and enforcement on Lake Hickory. Survey E respondents indicated there should be more regulation of jet skiers on Lake Hickory.

When asked if they could change one thing, respondents to Surveys A, B, and C stated they would like to see less or no jet skiing on Lake Hickory, and require more boat regulation in terms of additional no wake zones and speed limits on the lake. In addition, several respondents indicated that a boat driver's license and/or participation in a boat safety course should be required for all boaters and jet skiers.