The value of water levels in water-based recreation: A pooled revealed preference/contingent behavior model

In this paper we present estimated recreation values for preventing a decli ne in water levels at, and even the total loss of, a large western lake tha t is drying up. We use a Poisson version of the count data travel cost mode l; however, in addition to and in combination with revealed preference (RP) data, we employ contingent behavior (CB) responses to hypothetical questio ns on alternative water levels and number of trips. The pooled model used a llows for tests of differences between results using RP and CB data. This p articular pooled RP/CB approach has not to our knowledge previously been ap plied to examine the values of alternative water quantities in water-based recreation.