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EPA/600/F-17/194
science in ACTION
www.epa.gov/research
| INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THE THREE BAYS ESTUARY
SYSTEM FOR RECREATION?
Little is known about recreational use on
estuaries like Three Bays on Cape Cod in
Massachusetts. We are working to
quantify that recreational use. This
involves counting all visitors at various
access points throughout the day.
Statistical methods will later be applied
to estimate the total number of visitors
for a day at each of the public access
points.
Purpose of this Research
•	It is important to know how many people use estuaries so we can better
understand how many people are affected by changes in water quality.
•	We are testing a practical approach to quantify recreational use of Three
Bays.
•	We will use this information to conduct an economic valuation study of the
Three Bays estuary system.
•	These methods can then be used in many other coastal settings.
This research is being conducted by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency with
cooperation from the Three Bays
Preservation, Inc.
CONTACT: Marisa Mazzotta, ORD, NHEERL
Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, Rl
401-782-3026 / mazzotta.marisa@epa.gov

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