Benefits from Including Wetland Component in Water Supply Projects

Abstract

A land use management plan is currently under consideration in the Turtle Lake area of North Dakota that would help preserve wetlands and allow land development for irrigation. The plan is unique because it includes a wetland component, recognizing the potential benefits to society from preserving wetland acreage. The contingent valuation method is used to estimate wetland benefits from the plan. The wetland benefits from the proposed plan are estimated to range from $832,000 to $2,100,000 annually. Agricultural benefits from the plan are estimated to be about $1,570,000 annually. The response rate to the mail survey used for this analysis was low. Therefore, survey techniques that increase response rates, such as in-person or telephone surveys, are recommended for future wetland valuation studies. Including a wetland component in the Turtle Lake plan substantially increases benefits while adding a relatively small amount to project costs.