Visitors who own their own recreational equipment are not subject to any regulations or fees. We assume that all relevant reducible pollution is caused by agribusiness activity. Pollution caused by recreational activity, such as trash and human waste, we assume is minimal. Certainly tourists should be advised that they should take care where they dispose of wastes, but recreation-based waste is not addressed by this study or any of the relevant agencies active in the watershed. Since the costs of enforcing any control measures on tourists or wildlife is quite prohibitive due to the transitory nature of these populations, such regulation would not be a feasible policy option, even in the unlikely event that these sources were found to be major polluters.
Financial values mean the dollars that are spent by the person or agency undertaking the activity.
The Buffalo River meanders through northern Arkansas for a distance of 132 miles. The National River area extends for about a mile on each side of the river, except in three wilderness areas, where the park is wider. The tributaries which feed the Buffalo River are all outside the park boundaries, except for a small section along Richland Creek. The Buffalo is renowned for its limestone bluffs and countless caves, which extend up the tributaries and into the surrounding hills. The watershed is also famous for its archaeological, botanical, and geological richness.