Kite Surfing at Station Beach in Kincardine, Ontario. Image: Flickr, 1juniper
With or without a paddle, Great Lakes residents are known to take to the water.
A new report by Boston-based environmental advocate Environment America measures just how much.
At least two Great Lakes states boasted top-five rankings in every category they measured for water activity.
From state park visitors traversing a river trail to licensed fishers scoring a fish tale, 28 states measured water activity using park reports and other publicly available data.
The second annual report “highlights how people can talk about clean water in terms of recreation,” said Annalise Dobbelstein, campaign organizer at Environment Michigan.
It coincides with the disputed Clean Water Rule that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put into effect August 28. The Rule defines the “waters of the United States.”
Echo pulled information from the water activity report which ranked 28 states for:
- Number of visitors to state and national parks with waterways
- Number of summer camps with water-based activities
- Number of state-licensed fishers
- Number of state-registered boats
Number of visitors to state and national parks with waterways. Image: Summer Fun Index, Environment Michigan
New York ranked second in the survey and first in the Great Lakes for visitors to parks with waterways. With 11,000 fewer visitors, Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the survey, second in the Great Lakes. Illinois squeezed into fifth place in the survey, third in the Great Lakes.
Number of summer camps with water-based activities. Image: Summer Fun Index, Environment Michigan
New York ranked second in the survey and first in the Great Lakes for the number of summer camps with water activities. Again falling behind the Empire State, Pennsylvania ranked third in the national survey and second in the Great Lakes. Wisconsin popped into the rankings at fifth place in the survey and third in the Great Lakes.
Number of state-licensed fishers. Image: Summer Fun Index, Environment Michigan
Minnesota took third in the survey and first in the Great Lakes for its 1.4 million registered fishers. Wisconsin took fifth again in the survey and second in the Great Lakes.
Number of state-registered boats. Image: Summer Fun Index, Environment Michigan
The Great Lakes offer great uses for boats. Minnesota ranked second in the survey and first in the Great Lakes for the number of registered boats. Michigan was close behind with a third rank for the survey and second for the Great Lakes. Wisconsin rounds off the top boating states at fifth in the survey and third in the Great Lakes.
For a look at how the Great Lakes state residents use water for fun, here are the numbers:
| Minnesota | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 71 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 9,464,367 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 83 |
| Licensed fishers | 1,418,995 |
| Licensed boaters | 809,292 |
| Wisconsin | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 76 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 14,521,226 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 102 |
| Licensed fishers | 1,366,345 |
| Licensed boaters | 627,352 |
| Illinois | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 112 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 37,938,145 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 26 |
| Licensed fishers | 721,671 |
| Licensed boaters | 274,906 |
| Michigan | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 99 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 9,513,361 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 95 |
| Licensed fishers | 1,081,946 |
| Licensed boaters | 789,458 |
| Ohio | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 73 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 2,189,849 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 107 |
| Licensed fishers | 739,616 |
| Licensed boaters | 459,778 |
| Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 110 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 40,467,784 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 132 |
| Licensed fishers | 985,335 |
| Licensed boaters | 322,195 |
| New York | |
|---|---|
| State & national parks with waterways | 164 |
| Visitors to state & national parks with waterways | 51,290,698 |
| Summer camps offering water activities | 197 |
| Licensed fishers | 963,413 |
| Licensed boaters | 451,862 |
*The 28 states surveyed did not include Indiana – sorry Indiana.
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