Economic Values of Angling in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 

and Rafting in Grand Canyon National Park 

For purposes of resource management decisions, evaluation of economic values of resources is an 

essential element. From an economic viewpoint, some of the uses of Colorado River water have 

observable market transactions – for example, prices wholesalers and consumers pay for electricity. This 

is not the case, however, for resources such as recreation. However, knowledge of the economic value of 

rafting and angling, including an understanding of the attributes that make these resources valuable, 

improve decision making processes when identifying economic tradeoffs involved in resource 

management decisions. 

Completion of an important direct-use (recreation) economic study took place in 1987 (Bishop et al. 

1987). However, this study is more than twenty-five years old, and the GCDAMP has not continued to 

monitor or measure the effects of changing conditions, alternative flow regimes and experiments on these 

important economic values. The SEAHG Group identified socioeconomic recreation information needs, 

including Glen Canyon angling and Grand Canyon rafting, as one of its information priorities. 

The NPS has developed Glen Canyon angling and Grand Canyon rafting survey instruments and 

implementation procedures for the LTEMP EIS, but the effort was discontinued. GCMRC is proposing to 

lead the effort of survey implementation in 2014 and into the 2015/16 budget cycle. The surveys would 

replicate the work of Bishop et al. (1987), updating methodological approaches and collecting 

expenditure data and information about the preferences of anglers and river rafters. 

Bishop, R.C., K.J. Boyle, M.P. Welsh, R.M. Baumgartner, and P.C. Rathbun. 1987. Glen Canyon Dam Releases and 

Downstream Recreation: An Analysis of User Preferences and Economic Values. Glen Canyon Environmental Studies 

Report No. 27/87. Springfield, VA: National Technical Information Service (PB88-183546/AS). 

Structured Decision Analysis 

For purposes of resource management decisions, evaluation of the economic values of resources is an 

essential element. However, in adaptive management programs the economic value of management 

actions and of gathering information is uncertain. It is this uncertainty that makes a standard economic 

analysis, or benefit-cost analysis, difficult. 

In an adaptive management program, economic analysis should include uncertainty. Uncertainty has 

historically been included in structured decision analysis (SDA) processes, but objectives have been based 

on stakeholder management goals or other non-economic metrics. By including economic values into the 

analysis, the objective (max expected net benefits) is predetermined and all outcomes are evaluated with a 

common metric. This reduces the need for repeated stakeholder input and standardizes the unit of measure 

across resource categories. 

In any adaptive management program, a SDA that includes economic values provides insight into 

expected economic value of possible management actions and of gathering additional information through 

experimentation. The value of gathering information can then be evaluated against the “costs” of 

obtaining it and the entire analysis can be updated as additional knowledge of the system is obtained. 

The goal of economic analysis in an adaptive management process is to identify all implementable 

management actions, expected outcomes, and the resulting expected net benefits of those outcomes. This 

process provides insight into the value of experimentation and provides decision makers with a broad 

range of information when evaluating resource management decision in an adaptive management 

program. 
U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Economics Research at GCMRC: FY 2014Lucas BairEconomistGrand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
Resources of Economic Value B

Glen Canyon Dam Ecosystem

 Native fish Riparian habitat

 Hydropower  Recreation

 Angling Rafting

 Cultural

http://gallery.usgs.gov/photos/04_27_2009_eIYl15Obb7_04_27_2009_0

http://commons.wik

S. Thybony
The Economics of Recreation B

Glen Canyon Dam: Background Bishop et al. (1987), first extensive 

economics study of recreation below G

 Glen Canyon angling and day-use rafting Grand Canyon whitewater boating

 NPS initiated research to replicate and 

expand on the work of Bishop et al. (19

 The NPS effort, as part of updating eco

values for the LTEP EIS, was discontin
The Economics of Recreation B

Glen Canyon Dam: Background

 SEAHG identified the economic value o

recreation as a key information need

 GCMRC is proposing to lead specific 

recreation economics research with the 2014 budget 

 Glen Canyon angling and Grand Canyon 

whitewater boating surveys

 Draft surveys and OMB package complete

 GCMRC lead implementation of surveys, a

and reporting
The Economics of Recreation B

Glen Canyon Dam: Proposal Glen Canyon angling and Grand Canyo

rafting surveys

 Identifying attributes of importance Regional expenditure data Economic value of the trip Economic value of trip quality (e.g., flows)

 Two year estimated timeline from initia

implementation of research

 Budget of $240K to complete surveys, 

analysis, and reports
Questions?