Measuring the effects of stormwater mitigation on beach attendance

Many studies have used valuation techniques to predict the potential effect of environmental improvements

on human use of coastal areas, but there is a lack of post hoc empirical evidence that these policies

indeed affect the way people use coastal areas. A panel data approach is developed to statistically determine

how storm drain diversions affected attendance at 26 beaches in Southern California. This study

uses a 10-year time series of data to conduct a statistical analysis of attendance at beaches with and without

diversions and before and after the diversions were installed, while controlling for all observable,

confounding factors. Results indicate that beach attendance increased at beaches with diversions compared

to those that did not have diversions (between 350,000 and 860,000 visits annually at a 95% confidence

interval). Establishing this link between mitigation policies and human use patterns can lead to

better management of coastal areas.

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