Regional Cooperation in River Basin Rehabilitation: Estimating Economic Benefits of Alternatives for the Lower Jordan River

The Jordan River, one of the world’s most famous, has been reduced to a little more than a drainage ditch after years of neglect. However, given its rich heritage and environmental importance, rehabilitation of the Lower Jordan River (LJR) brings with it the potential for significant cultural, ecological, and economic benefits. This regional benefits study estimated the magnitude of the economic benefits Jordanians, Palestinians, and Israelis may achieve from river restoration. The study used different nonmarket valuation techniques to help identify the scale of benefits that can be derived from various rehabilitation scenarios, addressing both flow magnitude and water quality. The results identify several positive-sum outcomes from rehabilitation of the LJR, especially from a regional perspective. As such, it points to the potential for rehabilitation of the river to provide shared benefits and common interests among parties in a region more typically characterized by political conflict and stalemate.