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Recreation and Tourism Demand
<br />A summary of the PROS 2016 data shows Kittitas County's current and forecasted population estimates. Future
<br />population estimates are extended to 2040. This data is shown below in Table 1. lncreased population and multi
<br />season or year-round recreational demands are increasing, putting added pressure on Kittitas County public land
<br />uses and resources.
<br />Kittitas County population - increased from 9,704 persons in 1900 to 42,670 persons by 2015, fluctuating
<br />between a high of 10,3% average annual rate of growth between 1900-1910 to a low of 0.9% between 1970-
<br />1980. The grovrrth rate for the past twenty years exceeds 20 percent for the period, This rapid growth rate
<br />mandates that the County plan under the Growth Management Act GMA), even though the County initially
<br />elected to plan under GMA many years earlier.
<br />Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) estimates Kittitas County will increase to a population
<br />of 55,436 persons bythe year2040 averagingl.2o/o peryearbetween 2015-2025 then declining to 0.9% per
<br />year by 2035-2040.
<br />Tabfe 1. Population projections for years 2015-2040 for nine counties in Washington State
<br />County
<br />Popu latio n projections 201 5.2040
<br />2015 2040 Additional Grovrfth
<br />, Kittitas
<br />King
<br />Grant
<br />Snohomish
<br />Pierce
<br />Chelan
<br />Yakima
<br />Douglas
<br />Benton
<br />Total
<br />42,592
<br />2,052,800
<br />93,390
<br />757,600
<br />830,120
<br />75,030
<br />249,970
<br />39,990
<br />188,590
<br />4,380,684
<br />55,436
<br />2,418,850
<br />139,337
<br />997,634
<br />1,042,341
<br />89,246
<br />318,494
<br />54,762
<br />247,856
<br />5,362,956
<br />12,844
<br />366,050
<br />44,947
<br />240,034
<br />212,221
<br />14,216
<br />68,524
<br />14,772
<br />61,266
<br />982,272
<br />30.2Y0
<br />17.8o/o
<br />48.10/o
<br />31.7%
<br />25.60/o
<br />18.9Y0
<br />27.4To
<br />36.9%
<br />32.50/o
<br />22.4o/o
<br />Washington State's Recreation & Conservation Office (RCO) develops a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor
<br />Recreation Plan (SCORP) every six years to help decision-makers befter understand recreation issues
<br />statewide and to maintain Washington's eligibility for federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
<br />funds. RCO conducted a series of 12-month diary surveys of a random sample of Washington State residents
<br />in 2000, 2006, and 2012to determine the type of indoor and outdoor recreation activities residents engaged in
<br />over the year including the resident's age, gender, ethnicity, income, and regional place of residence. The
<br />RCO SCORP surveys recorded what residents participated in of 140 different indoor and outdoor activities and
<br />special spectator events including the participation rate and number of occasions per year by season, month,
<br />week, and type of environment (urban, rural, mountain). The surveys did not record the location of the activity.
<br />Appendix D shows a fulllist of Washington State tourist-oriented recreation activities in2012.
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