Viewing entries tagged
watershed
The Columbia River Basin is a vast, abundant watershed and the foundation for communities, fish and wildlife, and economic activity. Earth Economics has just released a new report that demonstrates the immense value of the Columbia River Basin’s natural capital - $198 billion in value annually.
A clean, abundant water supply is critical to health and well-being, but many water sources are threatened. In Eugene, Oregon, the Eugene Water and Electric Board is taking big steps to ensure future water quality with an innovative new approach to protecting riparian zones that is setting an important precedent for water utilities.
The Pacific Northwest’s Columbia River is a powerful force – currently managed primarily to maximize hydropower generation and flood risk management, the Columbia River Treaty is due for an update in 2024. To help inform Treaty negotiations, Earth Economics is partnering with a coalition of tribes and area stakeholders to conduct an economic valuation of the Columbia River Basin’s natural capital.
In cooperation with the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, Earth Economics is embarking on a new project focused on Colorado's South Platte River Watershed in collaboration with the Ecosystem Sciences Foundation and Plan-It Geo. The project will assess the watershed’s ecological health with the aim of identifying and prioritizing restoration and conservation areas.
Across the country, planners and policy makers are starting to consider the value of natural capital assets and ecosystem services. In Arizona, Earth Economics has joined in to work with groups on incorporating ecosystem services into planning for the Sabino Creek watershed.
