recreation

From November 1999 to April 2010, the downhill ski resort industry lost an estimated $1.07 billion in revenue between high and low snow fall years, according to a new report by two nonprofit groups, the National Resources

Recreation along the Colorado River stimulates an estimated $25.6 billion in economic activity per year for the six states—Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—through which the river and its tributaries flow (California, which borders the river in the southeast part of the state, was not included in the analysis due to sparse population in the area of the state

During National Park Week April 17-25, visitors can get into 392 national parks for free. The parks are facing challenges, including those associated with climate change, says Thomas Swetnam, director of the UA's Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research.

Approximately 35 million visitors come to National Parks in the Southwest each year, who feed over $1 billion into local economies. Climate change will likely affect visitation at several parks. Data courtesy of George Frisvold, University of Arizona.

Elephant Butte Reservoir, New Mexico, 2003. Bathtub rings show higher lake levels from previous years. Drought and reduced streamflow from the Rio Grande in the early 2000s caused the water level to drop, along with a reduction in recreational visits.