MODELING INSTREAM RECREATIONAL BENEFITS1

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Abstract
A basic problem in the management of rivers has been how to balance the tradeoffs between instream and out‐of‐stream uses. Traditionally, the problem has been addressed by optimizing the economic benefits of flow diversions and regulated releases with instream uses as a flow constraint. An alternative method is to model the effect different river flows have on various recreational uses (e.g., boating, fishing) and then use the results as an additional function or piece of information to determine river project operations and benefits. A methodology that is based on multiobjective decision theory and that relates instream recreational preferences to river flow is proposed. The methodology consists of determining, standardizing, and combining recreational benefit functions, and incorporating potential sources of uncertainty into an estimate of total instream benefits. Thus different types of flow patterns, resulting from reservoir regulation (out‐of‐stream water uses), can be analyzed to determine their potential instream impact. The methodology is applied to the New River Gorge, West Virginia, which has been designated as a National River.

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