Economic impact of recreation on the upper Mississippi River system

This report presents the findings of a study of the economic impact of recreational use of the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). The study was authorized by Congress in 1986 under Public Law 99-88 to measure the economic importance of the UMRS as a recreational resource. The study estimated that over 12 million daily visits were made by visitors to the UMRS during the study year. These visits resulted in direct and secondary expenditures of over $1.2 billion that maintained over 18,000 jobs nationwide. The study was conducted as a part of the UMRS Environmental Management Program (EMP). The EMP is a long-term program designed to protect and balance the resources of the Upper Mississippi and guide future river management.