Teton River Recreation & Economics Assessment – $4,950
In Teton Valley, our community treasures public river access for fishing, boating and recreation. River recreation represents a significant economic slice of our community’s income. Increased use has put a strain on residents’ experience and enjoyment of the resource.
Teton County experienced the greatest growth of any county in the state from 2006 to 2016, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. River-based recreation is a main draw to the region. Economic and recreational data is widely available for the South Fork and the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, but very little data is available for recreational use and economic value on the Teton River. The upper Teton supports one of the only remaining intact populations of Yellowstone Cutthroat in the region.
In an effort to quantify public use and its economic value, the Community Foundation has granted Friends of the Teton River $4,950 for a three-year study of overall river use. Local NGOs, businesses and stakeholders will use the results for future recreational planning.
In partnership with the Henry’s Fork foundation, Weber State University and the Idaho Department of Fish & Game, Friends of the Teton River seeks to identify and provide this information to the public through gauging use, public attitudes and input and their impact on the local economy.
Objectives of the three-year study include:
- Value of recreational river use to Teton Valley and regional economies
- Value of recreational river use to the participants
- Change in economic value, if facilities and overall quality of experience are increased
- The portion of the economic value of angling on the Teton River that is attributable specifically to native cutthroat trout
This summer, from Memorial Day through the end of September, the upper Teton upstream of Harrop’s Bridge will be used as the data collection site. Friends of the Teton River and Idaho Fish & Game will use the results to inform future projects and improve fishing and recreational opportunities on the upper Teton.
Through this partnership, Friends of the Teton River strives to close the existing informational gap on use of the Teton River and maintain our cherished watershed for future generations of anglers, boaters and recreationists.
