INVESTIGATION OF RECREATIONAL USE AROUND RIVERS AND PLANNING TO IMPROVE THE RIVER ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

To get clear ideas of improving rivers for recreational use, about 12, 000 photographs were taken along about 200 rivers through out the country. The results show that people gather and are fond of playing at particular spots such as sand bars, weirs and so on. Around sand bars, it iseasy to find good places for playing or swimming at the upstream of weirs, people can row boats and swim. River conditions, which mean the velocity of flow, the depth of water and the material of river bed, are closely connected with such river use. This information gives us valuable suggestions to plan and design rivers for recreational use.