Preliminary Research Hypothesis

My research hypothesis is that downstream water treatment costs may be reduced through improved watershed management practices upstream. To test this hypothesis I will conduct a Cost/Benefit Analysis of river restoration options available to watershed managers. However the economic analysis cannot be conducted in isolation from the existing biophysical, political and historical context. There are relevant biophysical processes that dictate the flow of contaminants throughout the watershed, just as there are relevant historical struggles that have determined today’s resource use. Understanding the watershed’s biophysical and historical context is essential for making insightful economic analysis of river restoration options currently available to water resource managers.