Sustainable Rivers Program generates substantial economic and ecological benefits, RTI study shows

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — A new analysis from the independent scientific research institute RTI International finds that changes to dam operations under the Sustainable Rivers Program have produced measurable ecological and economic benefits across four major river systems, with gains projected to continue through 2040. The study concludes that program sites show positive net benefits within only a few years.

The Sustainable Rivers Program is a collaboration led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy focused on updating dam management practices to strengthen river health while supporting navigation, hydropower and flood risk reduction. Researchers evaluated results at Melvin Price Locks and Dam, the Des Moines River, Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou, and the Green River.

“This assessment shows that improving water management practices can deliver meaningful economic value alongside ecological recovery,” said lead author Smit Vasquez Caballero, Ph.D., a research economist at RTI. “We found that benefits exceeded costs consistently across the program and these gains continued to accumulate over the full period studied.”

At the Melvin Price Locks and Dam site on the Illinois–Missouri border, the study found a net present value of $2.70 million and a benefit–cost ratio of 12.43 by 2040. Benefits exceeded costs three years after implementation. The Des Moines River site showed an even larger return, with a net present value of $17.70 million and a benefit–cost ratio of 8.98, with benefits surpassing costs by 2028.

Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou generated a net present value of $2.86 million and a benefit–cost ratio of 7.89. Benefits exceeded costs within the first five years, and the site continued to generate positive returns through 2040. The Green River produced roughly $20 million in realized benefits since 2010, with projections reaching more than $37 million by 2040. Due to partial cost data, results for this site are expressed in cumulative discounted benefits rather than in a benefit–cost ratio.

“Americans should not have to choose between strong communities, healthy rivers and responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” said TNC CEO Jennifer Morris. “This analysis shows we can get all three. The SRP is a practical way to modernize infrastructure we already own and hand local communities a win.”

Researchers also assessed program-wide implications. Across the broader Sustainable Rivers Program portfolio, results showed an estimated net present value of $265 million under an optimistic recovery scenario and $243 million under a more conservative scenario. Benefit–cost ratios across the portfolio ranged from 12.63 to 13.69.

The analysis drew on multiple data sources, including interviews with subject-matter experts, a literature review of 55 valuation studies, and cost information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Read the full analysis

Learn about RTI’s expertise in environment and natural resources management