ecological-economic context

the region

The Delaware Estuary has long been afflicted by water quality problems. Hypoxia, or the depression of dissolved oxygen beyond the tolerable limits of fish and other aquatic life, has been the most acute threat to the living ecosystems in the estuary for more than 100 years.  This report assesses the effects of improved dissolved oxygen levels in the Delaware Estuary, qualitatively and quantitatively, using an ecosystem services assessment framework. Because the spatial extent of relationships between ecosystem and societal benefits is accounted for within the framework, we are able to identify where benefits accrue and consider whether they provide any particular advantage to communities where environmental injustices impacting marginalized communities and communities of color may occur.  

Key Findings

Ecosystem service benefits resulting from a "Moderate Restoration" scenario total between $44 million to $62 million annually.

• This includes a one-time increase in property value ranging from $540.9 to $835.4 million, or $32.0 to $48.4 million annually.
• Economic benefits from the potential increase in commercial fishing for three target species are estimated at $728,000 annually.
• Recreational benefits from increased water quality for recreational anglers could range from $3.3 million to $5.8 million annually.
• Benefits of improved water quality for river-related recreation by residents of the study region range from $3.5 million a year for shoreline related activities to $4.0 million for boating.

Our analysis of the economic distribution of benefits focuses on the population residing within two miles of the Delaware River and the lower tidal Schuylkill River, with a specific focus on the cities of Chester, Camden, Wilmington, and Philadelphia. 
Header photo credit, Erik Silldorff

outcomes 

The report contributes to an effort by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and partner organizations to petition the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to upgrade the regulatory status and protections for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington reach of the Delaware River. The initiative seeks to ensure that water quality standards governing the river provide full Clean Water Act protections and adequate dissolved oxygen for the survival of fish and other aquatic life.

Resources

• Final technical report detailing the economic benefits associated with improvements in dissolved oxygen concentrations
• Press Release from the Delaware Riverkeeper Network

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“Year after year, decade after decade, our riverside communities have paid the price of inaction, of polluted water, of impaired ecosystems, and the lack of robust and healthy fish populations. This study begins the healing process by documenting the costs of inaction, and the benefits to our entire region for investing in clean water”
—Maya Von Rossum, Leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network

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see also

Laurel Highlands | Valuing Clean Water

Roanoke River Basin | Valuing Ecosystem Services

Lake Erie | Ecosystem Service Values