TY - JOUR
T1 - Cultural and Recreational Values for Environmental Flows in Mexico's Colorado River Delta
AU - Kerna, Ashley
AU - Colby, Bonnie
AU - Zamora, Francisco
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors appreciate the skillful assistance of Tess Duffy in editing this manuscript, as well as the time and effort contributed by survey enumerators. This research was supported by the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) project at the
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 World Scientific Publishing Company.
PY - 2017/4/1
Y1 - 2017/4/1
N2 - Worldwide, aquatic ecosystems subsist on water leftover from agricultural, industrial, and municipal water uses. While bi-national agreements have temporarily provided water for the Colorado River Delta (Delta) in Mexico, dedication of water to support aquatic ecosystems is rare. High-level U.S.-Mexico negotiations are underway to consider whether and how to provide water for the Delta once the current pilot program ends in 2017. Better understanding of the value of aquatic ecosystems can be useful in securing water to sustain them. This paper reports research findings on values held by visitors from nearby Mexican communities for environmental flows in the Delta. Based on surveys conducted at five recreation locations, this contingent valuation methodology (CVM) study assesses visitors' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for an assured source of water to sustain the Delta's ecosystem and the recreational opportunities it provides. Results indicate strong support for Delta restoration, with the majority of respondents indicating positive WTP to ensure adequate amounts of water to sustain a healthy and vibrant Delta ecosystem. Econometric model results indicate a median WTP ranging from $97 to $168 MXN (approximately $7-$13 USD at the time of analysis) per car per entry. These values represent only a subset of recreational users, and recreation values are only one of many components of the ecosystem services provided by the Delta. While only a fraction of recreation value and total economic value, it is important to understand values held by local recreation visitors. These values gauge support for preserving aquatic ecosystems in nearby communities. Furthermore, values held in the local area affect water management and policy decisions regarding restoration of this unique aquatic ecosystem.
AB - Worldwide, aquatic ecosystems subsist on water leftover from agricultural, industrial, and municipal water uses. While bi-national agreements have temporarily provided water for the Colorado River Delta (Delta) in Mexico, dedication of water to support aquatic ecosystems is rare. High-level U.S.-Mexico negotiations are underway to consider whether and how to provide water for the Delta once the current pilot program ends in 2017. Better understanding of the value of aquatic ecosystems can be useful in securing water to sustain them. This paper reports research findings on values held by visitors from nearby Mexican communities for environmental flows in the Delta. Based on surveys conducted at five recreation locations, this contingent valuation methodology (CVM) study assesses visitors' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for an assured source of water to sustain the Delta's ecosystem and the recreational opportunities it provides. Results indicate strong support for Delta restoration, with the majority of respondents indicating positive WTP to ensure adequate amounts of water to sustain a healthy and vibrant Delta ecosystem. Econometric model results indicate a median WTP ranging from $97 to $168 MXN (approximately $7-$13 USD at the time of analysis) per car per entry. These values represent only a subset of recreational users, and recreation values are only one of many components of the ecosystem services provided by the Delta. While only a fraction of recreation value and total economic value, it is important to understand values held by local recreation visitors. These values gauge support for preserving aquatic ecosystems in nearby communities. Furthermore, values held in the local area affect water management and policy decisions regarding restoration of this unique aquatic ecosystem.
KW - Colorado River Delta
KW - contingent valuation methodology
KW - recreational values for water
KW - water management
KW - willingness to pay
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U2 - 10.1142/S2382624X16500351
DO - 10.1142/S2382624X16500351
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85051995174
VL - 3
JO - Water Economics and Policy
JF - Water Economics and Policy
SN - 2382-624X
IS - 2
M1 - 1650035
ER -