Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID ND-2025-Kaemingk-1

Evaluating the influence of temperature and precipitation regimes on angler effort and expenditures

Institute: North Dakota
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $7,416 Total Non-Federal Funds: $7,527

Principal Investigators: Mark A. Kaemingk

Project Summary: Changes in temperature and precipitation regimes (TPR) are predicted to alter complex social-ecological systems, but the severity and impacts of these changes to social-ecological systems is still unknown. Our goal is to understand how TPR shifts influence inland recreational fisheries. We believe that tracking TPR induced changes to lake surface areas could inform fishery managers on how angler behavior may change in the future. Our objectives are to 1) evaluate the level of synchrony in lake surface area (i.e., angler effort) and 2) quantify historical changes in the economic value of recreational fisheries. We will use remote sensing techniques to quantify the permanent water areas in the Devils Lake Basin, ND. We will use historical angler trip information. The information we uncover has the potential to estimate how future changes in TPR could alter angler behavior and impact local economies, allowing managers to better understand the consequences of TPR shifts.