Outdoor Recreation in the Upper American River Watershed
Upper American River Watershed, California
El Dorado Water Agency wanted to explain how healthy lands and waters support outdoor recreation and the local economy. Radbridge combined visitation records, mobile location data, and geographic information to study recreation across the Upper American River Watershed. We estimated use by season and land manager, examined visitor origins, and assessed visitor spending and its contribution to jobs, wages, and tax revenue. The study also valued recreation experiences beyond what participants spend.
The watershed supported an estimated 7 million recreation visitor-days in 2022. The agency uses the findings to communicate the benefits of watershed management to residents and partner agencies. We are updating the analysis with 2023–2025 data to examine changes in use and connections between recreation trips and nearby businesses, with an updated report and supporting datasets.