Creating Jobs
Colorado River, Inc.: The $26 Billion Recreation Resource Employing a Quarter Million Americans
photo credit: Kerrick James Photography
The Colorado River supports a quarter million jobs and produces $26 billion in economic output, drawing revenue from the 5.36 million adults who use the Colorado River for recreational activities each year.
They come for picnicking, trail activities, wildlife watching, camping, fishing, water sports, bicycling, snow sports, and hunting. These seemingly simple outdoor activities are major economic drivers fueling a multi-billion dollar recreation industry, and pouring millions of dollars into local businesses and state treasuries.
The states covered in this economic report include:
Arizona (PDF)
Colorado (PDF)
Nevada (PDF)
New Mexico (PDF)
Utah (PDF)
Wyoming (PDF)
California was not included in this study
Complete technical report (PDF)
The economic analysis was conducted by Southwick Associates, Inc., which specializes in quantifying the economics of fish, wildlife, and outdoor-related activities for
government agencies and industry.
For media: Press release
