Monitoring Surfing Quality Below the Jordan River Generating Station (Year 3)

Jordan River Water Use Plan Monitoring Surfing Quality Below the Jordan River Generating Station (Year 3) Reference: JORMON-5 Monitoring Surfing Quality Below the Jordan River Generating Station Study Period: March 1 30, RRL Recreation Resources Ltd. April Revised December

Water License Requirements Jordan Water Licence Requirement Reporting Ref Study: JOR-WUP-SURF Monitoring Surfing Quality Below the Jordan River Generating Station Study Period: March 1 30, Report Date: April Revised December

Table of Contents Executive Summary... 3 Results Summary... 5 1.0 Survey Objective and Scope... 6 2.0 Survey Methodology... 7 3.0 Survey Results... 8 3.1 User Group Profile - User Activities... 8 3.2 Surf User Experiences... 9 3.2.1 Catching a Wave... 9 3.2.2 Wave Height... 9 3.2.3 Wave Break... 10 3.2.4 Length Of Ride... 10 3.2.5 Quality of Experience... 11 3.3 Influence of River Flow... 12 3.4 Summary of surf user comments who noticed River Flow... 12 3.5 Surf User Numbers... 13 3.6 User Experience... 13 3.7 Number of Surfing Days... 14 3.8 User Residency... 14 3.9 Amount Spent... 14 3.9.1 Surfing Location... 15 4.0 Analysis... 16 4.1 Introduction... 16 4.2 Cumulative Analysis... 17 4.3 Surf User Experiences Summary Tables -2006... 18 4.4 Flow Conditions and Surf User Experiences... 19 4.4 Conditions and Locations Where Issues Are Prevalent... 20 4.5 Operation Affect on Surf Conditions... 20 4.6 Economic Impact of Surf Users at Jordan River... 20 5.0 Recommendations... 21 5.1 On-site Observations:... 21 5.2. Data Collection:... 21 5.3. Key Metrics... 21 Appendix A Surf Survey... 22 Appendix B - Tidal Data... 24 Appendix C Weather Conditions... 25 BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 2

Executive Summary Jordan River is located on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island, approximately 70 km north of Victoria via Highway 14. In, as in previous survey years, the majority of surf users are from Victoria. Increasingly Jordan River is attracting new users, surfers who have one or two years experience, while still attracting long term users, some who have been coming for more than 20 years. Surf conditions at Jordan River vary considerably during the course of a day in relation to changes to whether there is an ebb or flood tide, providing conditions suitable for experienced and inexperienced surf users. The site continues to attract surfers because of its accessibility, the quality of surf can be excellent, and it has a rustic campsite and is in a scenic location. The site is located at the mouth of the Jordan River and faces west onto Juan de Fuca Strait with views across to the Olympic Peninsula some 22 km distant. In 2001 the first surf user survey was completed as part of the BC Hydro Water Use Plan (WUP) for Jordan River. Based on the observations from this study, which included that under some conditions, high discharges may flatten waves making it more difficult for surfers to catch waves against the current, data has continued to be gathered in order to gain a fuller understanding of the relationship between discharge flows, ocean conditions and surf users. Every March from 2006-2011, surf user surveys are being collected at Jordan River to help to define the relationships between flows from the Jordan River and surf user experiences. During the surf user survey periods each March, flows from the Jordan River Generating Station are modified so as to provide a mix of constrained and unconstrained flow conditions. This enables collection of data under different flow conditions, and enables comparisons with other environmental factors such as tide and wind direction. The surf user survey was conducted between March 1 and March 24 th. A total of 71 surf user surveys were collected. This compares with 31 surveys collected in 2007 and 40 collected in 2006. Basic campsite facilities located at Jordan River are maintained by Western Forest BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 3

Products. There is also a small fenced area with two cabins that are maintained by the Jordan River Surf Club. The surf season extends between October and March, and surf quality can vary substantially depending on ocean conditions over this period. A surfing survey conducted over the Water Use Plan (WUP) between December 17 th, 2000 and March 16 th 2001 indicated that surf conditions are also affected by Jordan River Generating Station discharge. In certain conditions high discharges may flatten waves making it more difficult for surfers to catch waves against the current. The final alternative agreed to by the consultative committee includes provision for a minimum of four (4) weekend days during the month of March when maximum discharge will be limited to 30m 3 s -1 during the day. The potential benefit of this flow will be evaluated during this monitoring program, which is scheduled to occur over a sixyear period. The survey was conducted on March 1,2,4,5,11,12,14,15, 16,17,18,21,23,and 24 and had the same format as for 2007; 15 questions and a map on which to record surf use locations, and was conducted using in-person interviews. The focus of the surfing survey is to determine the benefits to the surfing quality at Jordan River as a result of constraints on generation. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 4

Results Summary Key observations of the Monitoring Program are summarized below: The maximum number of users in the water during the on-site survey times was 18. 86% of surf users at Jordan River are board users, 76% of board users are male, and overall, 90% of surf users are male. 35% of surfers rated their experience as poor to fair, and 65% rated the experience as good to excellent, indicating that for the majority of surf users, surf conditions provided a positive experience. 77% of surf users indicated their surf activity was not affected by river flow, while 22% indicated that the flow did affect their activity. This season, surf users were 100% accurate in their observations on whether there was river flow or not. 45% of the surf users surveyed at Jordan River had been surfing between 0-4 years at Jordan River. Points Right was the most popular surfing area this season. The majority of users, 25%, surfed 0-9 days per year at Jordan River. 3% of surf users indicated that they spent approximately $0-$9 on each surf day, including transportation, meals and accommodation (see Figure 2). 56% of surf users spent $10 - $25 for each surf day, 20% indicated they spent $26-$39, 11% indicated they spent $40-60, and 10% indicated they spent over $60 per surf day. The survey results continue to show a group of experienced local surfers continue to surf Jordan River on a regular basis. 48% of surf users lived within 50 km of Jordan River. 48% of surf users lived within 50 km of Jordan River, 50% lived 50-100 km, 14% live 100 km or greater from Jordan River. All individuals were from BC except from two, one being from Alberta, one from Alaska. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 5

1.0 Survey Objective and Scope The objective of the surf-monitoring program is to assess the performance of the Water Use Plan decision to constrain maximum discharge opportunistically during the surfing season, using surf quality as the performance measure. The monitoring program assessments are undertaken near the mouth of the Jordan River in the inter-tidal zone where surfing is prevalent. The program evaluates the surf quality of waves that are particularly vulnerable to Jordan River Generating Station operations, based on the response of experienced surfers. Surf quality is evaluated under two conditions: constrained and unconstrained generation discharge, alternating over the review period of six years. The objectives of the Jordan River surf users monitoring program are to: 1. Develop baseline information on daily surf use for high use weekends. 2. Determine user residency and activity preferences. 3. Define how often individuals surf at Jordan River on an annual basis. 4. Assess the correlation between discharge from the generating station and surf quality. 5. Record weather and tide information during the periods of surf survey administration. 6. Establish a monetary value for a surfer s day. 1 1 Jordan River Water Use Plan Monitoring program Terms of Reference. June 21 2004 BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 6

2.0 Survey Methodology The survey of Jordan River surf users commenced March 1, and was delivered on site through in-person interviews. The surf user survey was explained to the user and was completed by either Erin Prescott or Jeremy Webb. Survey monitoring was conducted on March 1, 2,4,5,11,12,14,15,16,17,18,21,23 and 24,. Date # of Surveys March 1 14 March 2 8 March 4 2 March 5 2 March 11 2 March 12 3 March 14 6 March 15 8 March 16 5 March 17 6 March 18 1 March 21 8 March 23 2 March 24 4 Totals 71 The surf user survey is designed to measure the factors contributing to the surf users experience at Jordan River so as to determine how constraints on power generation affected surfing quality. There is a short window where the surf user can be interviewed, after they come out of the water, before they wish to get changed and warm up. The length of time it took to complete each survey continued to be appropriate, with no users objecting to the survey being too long. The survey questions were straightforward and generated only normal requests for clarification. Refer to Appendix A to view the Surf Users Survey template. In addition to the surf user survey, the number of surf users in the water and their locations were observed and recorded at approximately half hour intervals. Weather observations were also made and recorded at approximately one-hour intervals. Weather information was used to help determine the surf conditions at Jordan River. Particularly useful was the on-line weather stations located at Gordon s Beach in Sooke: http://bigwavedave.ca/gordonswsrt2.htm. Also used were Environment Canada s Marine Weather forecasts and stations providing wind direction for Juan de Fuca Strait: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/marine/marine_e.html?c-wsp, and a popular site: http://www.bigwavedave.ca/latest.php?dir=tides2&file=tidal used by windsurfers and surfers. Also useful is the US-NOAA coastal waters forecasts: http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=forecasts/marine/coastal/pz/pzz131.txt. which provides weather information for Juan de Fuca Strait. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 7

3.0 Survey Results A total of 71 surveys were completed during the monitoring period, compared with 31 collected in 2007 and 40 completed in 2006. All of the survey forms were completed correctly. This section of the report summarizes the data collected from the 71 surf user surveys collected between March 1 and March 24,. 3.1 User Group Profile - User Activities The survey records five different types of surf use. #4 Type of surf use activity Board Body Boogie Windsurf Kayak Surf Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female # of Date Surveys 10 2 2 14 March 1 7 1 8 March 2 1 1 2 March 4 2 2 March 5 1 1 2 March 11 2 1 3 March 12 5 1 6 March 14 7 1 8 March 15 4 1 5 March 16 6 6 March 17 1 1 March 18 7 1 8 March 21 2 2 March 23 2 2 4 March 24 54 7 0 0 1 0 1 0 8 0 71 Totals 86% of surf users at Jordan River are board users, 76% of board users are male, and overall, 90% of surf users are male. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 8

3.2 Surf User Experiences A series of four questions was used to differentiate the elements contributing to surf users experiences. 3.2.1 Catching a Wave Getting on to a wave in order to ride it is one of the fundamental challenges of surfing, and is a skill that develops with knowledge and experience. #5 - How would you rate the conditions for catching the waves? Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female # of Date Surveys 2 1 2 8 1 14 March 1 1 3 4 8 March 2 1 1 2 March 4 2 2 March 5 1 2 3 March 11 1 1 2 March 12 4 2 6 March 14 2 3 1 1 1 8 March 15 1 3 1 5 March 16 2 3 1 6 March 17 1 1 March 18 1 4 3 8 March 21 1 1 2 March 23 2 2 4 March 24 8 2 22 3 28 1 6 1 71 Totals 76% of surf users felt conditions for catching waves were fair to good. 14% of surfers rated conditions as poor, 35% as fair, 41% as good and 10% as excellent. 3.2.2 Wave Height The higher the wave, generally the better the ride. #6 - How would you rate the wave height? Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female # of Date Surveys 1 4 1 7 1 14 March 1 1 6 1 8 March 2 1 1 2 March 4 2 2 March 5 3 3 March 11 2 2 March 12 4 2 6 March 14 3 3 1 1 8 March 15 2 2 1 5 March 16 1 3 2 6 March 17 1 1 March 18 1 4 1 2 8 March 21 2 2 March 23 2 2 4 March 24 10 1 30 4 20 2 4 0 71 Totals 15% of surf users rated wave height as poor, 48% as fair, 31% as good and 6% as excellent. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 9

3.2.3 Wave Break The way waves break affects the surfer s ride in several ways and a good wave break is much sought after. There are four surf breaks at Jordan River where surf user data is gathered: Shakies Beach, Outside River Mouth, Points Left and Points Right. #7 - How would you rate the wave break? Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female # of Date Surveys 1 5 1 6 1 14 March 1 5 2 1 8 March 2 1 1 2 March 4 2 2 March 5 2 1 3 March 11 1 1 2 March 12 1 2 2 1 6 March 14 6 1 1 8 March 15 1 1 1 2 5 March 16 1 5 6 March 17 1 1 March 18 5 1 2 8 March 21 2 2 March 23 1 3 4 March 24 5 0 24 2 31 4 5 0 71 Totals 7% of surf users rated the wave break as poor, 37% rated the wave break as fair, 49% rated it as good, and 7% rated it as excellent. 3.2.4 Length Of Ride Once on a wave, the surfer rides it and generally the longer the ride the better. #8 - How would you rate the length of ride? Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female # of Date Surveys 1 7 2 3 1 14 March 1 5 1 2 8 March 2 1 1 2 March 4 2 2 March 5 1 2 3 March 11 1 1 2 March 12 3 2 1 6 March 14 3 2 2 1 8 March 15 2 1 1 1 5 March 16 1 5 6 March 17 1 1 March 18 5 1 2 8 March 21 2 2 March 23 2 2 4 March 24 10 0 25 3 25 4 4 0 71 Totals 14% of surfers rated the ride length as poor, 39% as fair, 40% as good and 6% as excellent. The majority, 80% rating the ride length as fair to good is consistent with the surf conditions present during the survey period. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 10

3.2.5 Quality of Experience In order to obtain a rating from surf users that focused less on specific elements and more on the combination of elements contributing to their experience, surf users were asked to rate their overall experience while out on the water. #9 - How would you rate the quality of your surfing experience today while you were in the water? Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female # of Surveys Date 1 3 1 5 3 1 14 March 1 1 6 1 8 March 2 1 1 2 March 4 1 1 2 March 5 2 1 3 March 11 1 1 2 March 12 3 2 1 6 March 14 1 3 3 1 8 March 15 1 1 1 2 5 March 16 3 3 6 March 17 1 1 March 18 1 2 2 2 1 8 March 21 1 1 2 March 23 1 2 1 4 March 24 6 0 15 4 28 0 15 3 71 Totals 35% of surfers rated their experience as poor to fair, and 65% rated the experience as good to excellent, indicating that for the majority of surf users, surf conditions provided a positive experience. Informal discussions with surf users suggest that a significant number of surfers go online to check weather conditions prior to travelling to their activity destination. The use of local, independent weather sites appears to be increasing, and may be having an influence on surf user patterns. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 11

3.3 Influence of River Flow #10 - Did you notice if the water discharge from the Jordan River affected your water activity? Yes No Male Female Male Female Date Flow 12 2 March 1 0m 3 s -1 7 1 March 2 0m 3 s -1 1 1 March 4 +/-50m 3 s -1 2 March 5 +/-50m 3 s -1 1 2 March 11 +/-50m 3 s -1 2 March 12 +/-50m 3 s -1 1 5 March 14 0m 3 s -1 7 1 March 15 0m 3 s -1 2 1 2 March 16 +/-50m 3 s -1 3 3 March 17 +/-50m 3 s -1 1 March 18 0m 3 s -1 3 1 4 March 21 +/-22m 3 s -1 2 March 23 0m 3 s -1 4 March 24 0m 3 s -1 14 2 50 5 Totals 77% of surf users indicated their surf activity was not affected by river flow, while 22% indicated that the flow did affect their activity. 3.4 Summary of surf user comments who noticed River Flow The comments of individuals who indicated the flow of water from the Jordan River affected their activity made the following observations: Date March 5 5 Comment Hardly any surf, current pushed boat away from surf area It prevented one from staying in surf area or catching waves Surf user type Years surfing at Jordan River Total years surfing experience Quality of surfing experience kayak 15 15 Poor kayak 6 6 Good Flow +/-50m 3 s -1 +/-50m 3 s -1 11 Strong current today wind +/-50m 3 s -1 6 15 Good surfer board +/-50m 3 s -1 12 Too many people and wind surfer 25 25 Fair 12 Too much river flow board 15 20 Good +/-50m 3 s -1 14 Not enough river current board Good 0m 3 s -1 16 Little bit of current noticed board 14 14 Fair +/-50m 3 s -1 16 Rip takes you out more than you want to go board 1 2 Fair +/-50m 3 s -1 17 Current strong near end of the day - tide low board 10 10 Good +/-50m 3 s -1 17 Fresh water not really [affected by current] [] +/-50m 3 s -1 board 9 15 Excellent added by RRL 17 Cold board 15 20 Excellent +/-50m 3 s -1 21 Current board 2 3 Excellent +/-22m 3 s -1 21 Thought the current changed tide? board 6 6 Good +/-22m 3 s -1 21 Current board 15 15 Excellent +/-22m 3 s -1 The 14 comments suggest that flow conditions (defined as flows less than 30m 3 s -1 ) had limited impact on the quality of surfers experiences. When viewed in combination with years of experience, the data suggest that more experienced surf users notice the flow of the river most often. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 12

3.5 Surf User Numbers During the survey period, the maximum number of surfers in the water at any one time was 18. This compares with 13 in 2007 and 18 in 2006. Due to the different survey collection method used in, where the campsite attendant administered the majority of the surveys, the number of surf users in the water was recorded only when RRL staff were on site on March 1, 2, 16 and 22. Number of surf users in the water: March 1,2,4,5,11,12,14,15,16,17,18,21,23,24 0900 0930 1000 1030 1100 1130 1200 1230 1300 1330 1400 1430 Mar 1 Pts R 0 0 7 7 2 2 3 2 Pts L 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 Out 0 0 7 7 5 7 8 0 Shake 0 0 (1) 0 2(1) 0 0 3 Total 0 0 15 14 12 9 11 5 0900 0930 1000 1030 1100 1130 1200 1230 1300 1330 1400 1430 Mar 2 Pts R 1 1 1 Pts L 9 10 8 Out 6 6 7 Shake 1 0 0 Total 17 18 16 0900 0930 1000 1030 1100 1130 1200 1230 1300 1330 1400 1430 Mar 16 Pts R 0 0 0 0 0 Pts L 0 0 0 0 0 Out 0 0 0 0 0 Shake 4 0 0 0 0 Total 4 0 0 0 0 0900 0930 1000 1030 1100 1130 1200 1230 1300 1330 1400 1430 Mar 22 Pts R 0 0 0 Pts L 0 0 0 Out 0 0 0 Shake 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 Notes: 1. Pts R = Points Right/Pts L = Points Left/Out = Outside/Shake = Shakies Beach 2. Numbers in ( ) are kayak surfers, numbers in [ ] are boogie board surfers, and numbers outside of the brackets are board surfers. 3.6 User Experience For some of the surfers surveyed, it was their first time surfing anywhere. At the other end of the spectrum were a limited number of surfers who have been surfing for over 20 years. 45% of the surf users surveyed at Jordan River had been surfing between 0-4 years at Jordan River. Years Surfing at Jordan River Total Years Surfing Figure 1 Surf User Experience 0 10 20 30 40 Responses 20+ yrs 15-19 yrs 10-14 yrs 5-9 yrs 0-4 yrs BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 13

3.7 Number of Surfing Days The number of days individuals surf at Jordan River each year varied from once per year, to over 60 times per year. While the majority of users surfed 0-9 days per year at Jordan River; there was a fairly even distribution across the range of days of surfing. Number of days surfing at Jordan River per year 0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-59 60+ 18 13 11 10 12 7 25% 18% 15% 14% 17% 10% 3.8 User Residency Surf users were asked where they lived. Residency of surfers users at Jordan River Within 50 km 50-100 km 100+ km Other Canadian Area Non Canadian 34 20 14 2 1 48% 28% 20% 3% 1% 48% of surf users lived within 50 km of Jordan River, 50% lived 50-100 km, 14% live 100 km or greater from Jordan River. All individuals were from BC except from two, one being from Alberta, one from Alaska. 3.9 Amount Spent Surf users were asked the total spent for each surf day including transportation, meals and accommodation (including taxes). Figure 2 2007 Amount Spent for Each Surf Day Number of Respondents 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 $0-$9 $10-$25$26-$39$40-$60 Over $60 Amount spent No Respons e S1 $0-$9 $10-$25 $26-$39 $40-$60 Over $60 No Response Series1 2 39 14 8 7 1 3% of surf users indicated that they spent approximately $0-$9 on each surf day, including transportation, meals and accommodation (see Figure 2). 56% of surf users spent $10 - $25 for each surf day, 20% indicated they spent $26-$39, 11% indicated they spent $40-60, and 10% indicated they spent over $60 per surf day. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 14

3.9.1 Surfing Location Surfers were asked where they surfed during their time at Jordan River. Some surfers used two locations during their time in the water. The most used areas for surfing were Shakies Beach and Points Right. The map below shows the number of surfers using each area over the survey period. Surfers also use the area highlighted in yellow but it is not influenced by the discharge from the river and data is not collected from this area. 25 Surf Area but not influenced by river flow Shakies Beach 12 39 POINTS RIGHT 7 POINTS LEFT OUTSIDE RIVER MOUTH The most popular surfing location in was Points Right, with 46% of those surveyed using this location. 30% used Shakies Beach, 14% used Points Left, and 8% used the Outside River Mouth location. There were a total of 83 responses recorded as several of the survey forms had more than one surf location marked, reflecting the fact that some of the surf users move locations during the period they are in the water. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 15

4.0 Analysis 4.1 Introduction The surf user survey is designed to record surf user experiences at Jordan River and to capture data on other factors contributing to surf user experiences such as overall experience or local knowledge of conditions. The environmental influences on surf quality are significant and include tidal direction and tidal currents, depth of water, direction of swell. Determining the precise factors that account for the quality of a surf users experiences is difficult due to the number of variables influencing the quality of their experience. The assessment of surf user experience is complicated by factors such as the length of time a surfer may be in the water, and if for example during their time in the water, the tide changed from ebb to flood, or if their placement in the surf changed, or if the weather changed, (the wind increased or decreased for example) then it is challenging to determine whether the change in tide affected the quality of their experience positively or negatively, whether it was the change in their surfing location, or whether simply as the length of their time in the water grew longer, they adjusted to the conditions, or they became more tired and that impacted the quality of their experience. Further influencing the equation is the surfers skill level. For example, for a board surfer with a lower level of experience overall, but with all of it being experience at Jordan River, they might be expected to have greater understanding of the flows from the Jordan River and be able to respond to Jordan River current differently, perhaps more capably, than a surfer with the same number of surf experience days, but at a different location. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 16

4.2 Cumulative Analysis Data collected over the past 3 years enables initial examination of the relationship between Constrained (max 30 cms) flows and unconstrained (70 cms) flows on surf user experiences at Jordan River. A further two years of data is still to be collected. We can start with the observation that the majority of surf users, 65%, continue to report that they have excellent surfing experiences at Jordan River under a full range of flow levels and weather conditions. Goggle Map As there are many factors that contribute to their experience, the purpose of the cumulative analysis is not to establish with absolute certainty the specific flow levels where surf experience is highest there are too many variables influencing the experience. We are interested, however, in understanding where and under what conditions flows are an issue, so that we can understand what flows, in combination with what other factors, can contribute to issues, such as reduced quality of surfing experience. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 17

4.3 Surf User Experiences Summary Tables -2006 The following tables summarize key surfer ratings for the period -2006. Surf User Profiles Board Users Male Number of Surveys Collected 86% 76% 71 2007 97% 71% 31 2006 95% 68% 40 Total 93% 72% 142 Surf users are predominantly male and are board surfers. How surfers rated conditions for catching the Waves 14% 35% 41% 10% 2007 29% 52% 19% 0% 2006 24% 47% 26% 3% 22% 45% 29% 13% 61% of surf users rate conditions for catching waves as good to excellent. How surfers rated the wave height 15% 48% 31% 6% 2007 29% 58% 13% 0% 2006 42% 29% 29% 0% 29% 45% 24% 2% 74% of surf users rate wave height as poor to fair, 26% rate the height as good to excellent. How surfers rated the wave break 7% 37% 49% 7% 2007 19% 42% 32% 7% 2006 21% 37% 36% 6% 16% 38% 39% 7% 54% of surf users rate the wave break as poor to fair, 46% rate the break as good to excellent How surfers rated their quality of experience 9% 27% 39% 25% 2007 13% 29% 35% 23% 2006 5% 31% 40% 21% 9% 29% 38% 23% 38% of surf users rate the quality of their experience as poor to fair, 72% rate their experience as good to excellent. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 18

4.4 Flow Conditions and Surf User Experiences During the survey period, flows from the Jordan River dam were at times varied and surf users were asked if they noticed the flow from the Jordan River. When the Jordan River dam is fully constrained, there is no water flow coming from the mouth of the Jordan River. In the Years 2006, 2007 and, data has been collected for 0 cms flows, 30 cms flows, and 50 cms flow levels. While flows at the 50 cms level ( only) can be considered unconstrained, data for fully unconstrained flow conditions (70 cms) is limited and will be gathered in the coming survey seasons. Did you notice if the water discharge from the Jordan River affected your water activity? Year Yes No Flow 7 31 No flow 2006 Na Na Constrained Flow Na Na Unconstrained Flow 12 7 No Flow 2007 4 8 Constrained Flow Na Na Unconstrained Flow 1 40 No flow 4 4 Constrained Flow 10 9 Unconstrained Flow* * unconstrained flows were +/-50m 3 s -1 2006 In 2006 the majority, 82% of surf users, did not notice river discharge affecting their experience. Although there was no river discharge in 2006 during the survey period, 18% of surfers on March 11 th indicated they did notice river discharge. Of this 18%, most had limited surf experience (for some it was their first or second time surfing) which may partially explain the rating as these users would be expected to have less ability to interpret the various sea current and tide actions than more experienced users. 2007 For the prior March 1 14, 2007, flows from the Jordan River dam were 100% unconstrained i.e. no water was released. For the period March 15-30, 2007, flows from the Jordan River dam were constrained to approximately 33m 3 s -1. On March 10 & 11, when flows were fully constrained, 63% of surf users indicated they did notice river discharge affecting their experience while 36% of surf users indicated they did not notice river discharge affecting their experience while. On March 24, when constrained flow was present, 33% indicated they did notice the river discharge, while 66% did not notice the discharge affecting their experience. The 2007 results appear inconsistent with 2001 results (when surfers were correct 57% of the time in identifying whether or not there is discharge) and with 2006, when flows were fully constrained (no flow) during the survey period and 82% of surf users observed that the water discharge from the Jordan River did not affect their surf experience. The 2007 sample size is small and user experience is lower than in 2001 and 2006 which may partially explain the inconsistency. 77% of surf users indicated their surf activity was not affected by river flow, while 22% indicated that the flow did affect their activity. Of those surf users who did notice the flow of the river, the majority were experienced surfers who had surfed at Jordan River for 10 years or more. The majority of these, despite commenting on the river flow, recorded that they had a good to excellent quality surfing experience, suggesting that the impact of the flow has limited negative impact on surf user experiences, particularly for those with more experience and perhaps particularly experience at Jordan River. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 19

4.4 Conditions and Locations Where Issues Are Prevalent There are four main areas used by surfers at Jordan River (refer to map on 2 nd page of the surf user survey in Appendix A) which are influenced by flows from the Jordan River. 2 Surf Locations Shakies Beach # of Users % Points Left # of Users % Points Right # of Users % Outside # of Users %l Total 2006 17 37 16 35 11 24 2 4 46 2007 17 49 1 3 14 40 3 8 35 25 30 12 14 39 46 7 8 71 Average 39 17 37 7 Surf users appear to equally favour Shakies Beach and Points Right.Survey results don t indicate any significant variance in quality of experience at either of these locations. 4.5 Operation Affect on Surf Conditions Over the past three years the majority of experienced users consistently report having favourable surf experiences under 0 cms flows, 30 cms flows, and 50 cms flow levels. Flows levels have been below the fully unconstrained flow levels (70 cms) for a majority of these past three years. Going forward (2009/2010 etc.), it will be valuable to collect surveys when flows are fully unconstrained and to assess whether these higher flow levels impact on surf experiences. 4.6 Economic Impact of Surf Users at Jordan River The surf user survey collected a limited amount of data on the economic impact of surf users using Jordan River. Data collected between March 1-24, from 71 surf users suggests the total amount spent by surfers on their surfing activity at Jordan River during March ranged from a low of approximately $1,500.00 to a high of approximately $2,500.00 dollars (refer to Figure 2). Assuming the surf period extends from October to March, (6 months) the amount spent on surf user activity ranges from an approximate low of $9,000 to a high of $15,000 during the surf season. These amounts are for transport, food and fuel and do not include other costs associated with surfing such as equipment cost, repairs or upgrades. 2 Another surf area is located south of Jordan River. However its distance from the Jordan River means the river does not influence it significantly. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 20

5.0 Recommendations The survey and report format used in 2007 worked well in and should continue to be used in 2009. There were areas for improvement, and some areas where focus needs to be placed in order to meet the project terms of reference. Recommendations are as follows: 5.1 On-site Observations: While the use of an onsite campsite attendant was a cost effective method of increasing the number of surveys collected this year, one shortcoming was the absence of on-site observations when the attendant collected the data. In 2009, RRL staff conduct both surf surveys and on-site observations to ensure thorough collection of on-site observations (i.e. # of surfers in the water and weather conditions at time of survey) meets project requirements. An on-site attendant will not be used in 2009. 5.2. Data Collection: In 2009, focus should be placed on collection of data during high (70cms) flow periods in order to build data for higher level, unconstrained flow periods. The terms of reference recognize that constrained (max 30 cms) flow days would be limited. However, there have been limited full flow (greater than 50 cms) operations in March in recent years. 5.3. Key Metrics The 2009 surf user report should add to the analysis of the most important metrics (conditions, experience and influence of river flow) so as to enable comparisons between surf user experiences under constrained flow and unconstrained flow conditions. BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 21

Appendix A Surf Survey Attention Jordan River Surf Users! As part of BC Hydro s Jordan River Water Use Plan Monitoring Program, a survey of Jordan River surf users is being undertaken. A hydroelectric dam controls the amount of water that flows in the Jordan River. Of particular interest is how the amount of water discharge from the hydroelectric dam may affect surfing conditions. BC Hydro has contracted an independent consulting company, RRL Recreation Resources Ltd. (RRL) to undertake the surf user survey. If you have any questions regarding the survey, you can call them, toll free at 1-800-761-5737. Thank you for participating! Jordan River Water Use Plan - Ocean Surf Recreation User Survey 1. Date/time: (Month/Day/Year/time) / / / am/pm 2. Time in Water: Time in am/pm - Time out am/pm 3. Activity Undertaken: Board Surf Body surf Boogie Board Wind Surf Kayak Surf Other (describe) 4. How would you rate the conditions for catching the waves? 5. How would you rate the wave height? 6. How would you rate the wave break? 7. How would you rate the length of ride? 8. How would you rate the quality of your surfing experience today while you were in the water? 9. Did you notice if the water discharge from the Jordan River affected your water activity? Yes No If answering yes to Question 9, please describe how your activity was affected. 10. Have you been interviewed before? Yes No 11. How many years have you been surfing at Jordan River? 12. How many years have you been surfing? 13. On average, how many days do you surf at Jordan River each year? 14. Where do you live? Within 50 km 50-100 km 100+km Other Canadian area Non-Canadian 15. How much do you spend in total for each surf day, including transportation, meals and BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 22

accommodation (including taxes)? $0-$9 $10-$25 $26-$39 $40 - $60 over $100 On the map below, please circle the location where you surfed: (Point Rights, Point Lefts, Shakies Beach, Outside Jordan River Mouth) Shakies Beach POINTS RIGHT OUTSIDE RIVER MOUTH POINTS LEFT BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 23

Appendix B - Tidal Data Tides for the survey periods when surfers were recorded at Jordan River. March Tides at Port Renfrew British Columbia Day High Low High Low High Sat 01 5:50 AM / 9.46 ft 2:52 PM / 4.99 ft Sun 02 12:02 AM / 8.26 ft 2:34 AM / 8.05 ft 7:24 AM / 9.45 ft 3:52 PM / 4.48 ft 11:33 PM / 8.51 ft Tue 04 4:31 AM / 6.97 ft 9:49 AM / 10.25 ft 5:12 PM / 3.46 ft 11:23 PM / 9.50 ft Wed 05 5:11 AM / 6.22 ft 10:39 AM / 10.73 ft 5:44 PM / 3.15 ft 11:46 PM / 10.13 ft Tue 11 3:23 AM / 12.19 ft 10:10 AM / 2.87 ft 4:16 PM / 9.99 ft 9:47 PM / 5.56 ft Wed 12 4:03 AM / 11.99 ft 11:06 AM / 3.11 ft 5:15 PM / 9.27 ft 10:24 PM / 6.37 ft Fri 14 5:45 AM / 10.97 ft 1:44 PM / 3.79 ft 8:10 PM / 8.38 ft Sat 15 1:21 AM / 7.62 ft 7:01 AM / 10.39 ft 3:11 PM / 3.76 ft 10:19 PM / 8.73 ft Sun 16 3:20 AM / 7.41 ft 8:35 AM / 10.12 ft 4:23 PM / 3.51 ft 11:16 PM / 9.30 ft Mon 17 4:38 AM / 6.71 ft 10:02 AM / 10.23 ft 5:19 PM / 3.25 ft 11:50 PM / 9.82 ft Tue 18 5:34 AM / 5.87 ft 11:10 AM / 10.48 ft 6:05 PM / 3.13 ft Fri 21 1:12 AM / 10.86 ft 7:37 AM / 3.84 ft 1:27 PM / 10.62 ft 7:49 PM / 3.92 ft Sun 23 2:02 AM / 11.05 ft 8:42 AM / 3.36 ft 2:38 PM / 10.11 ft 8:42 PM / 5.05 ft Mon 24 2:26 AM / 11.00 ft 9:12 AM / 3.41 ft 3:12 PM / 9.75 ft 9:02 PM / 5.65 ft BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 24

Appendix C Weather Conditions Date Time Wind Direction Wind Speed (Km/Hr) Temp Air (Degrees Centigrade) Shakies Estimated Wave Height (Feet) Outside Points River Left Mouth March 1 11:49 W 6-9 11 3 3 4 4 12:47 W 11-15 10 2 4 4 4 13:36 SW 9-12 12 0 2 0 2 13:50 SW 15-20 10 2 3 4 4 14:34 SW 10-12 13 2 3 3 2 March 2 12:00 W 2 10 2 4 4 3 13:00 SW 5-6 10 2 4 4 3 14:00 S 0 11 4 5 5 4 March 16 11:00 S 6-8 8 2 1 2 2 12:05 S 6-8 8 2 2 2 2 13:10 SW 8-10 7 2 3 3 3 March 22 10:00 SE 4-6 9 1 3 4 4 11:00 SE 5-8 10 1 2 2 1 Points Right BC Hydro Vers. 2.2 25