Economic Impacts of Drought

Economic Impacts of Drought

To effectively address the impacts of drought on Arizona's rural economies, government agencies, businesses, and natural resource managers need a clear understanding of how drought affects these communities. In response to numerous requests from decision makers in the region, this project examined the impacts of drought on two climate sensitive sectors in the Southwest: agriculture and outdoor recreation.

Arizona agriculture is highly irrigation-dependent, meaning that drought conditions effect how much acreage is planted in any given year. For tourism and outdoor recreation, short-term drought results in increased recreational visits, but visits decrease over periods of longer-term drought.

"George and his team provide a link between academic peer-reviewed research on natural resources and information we collect. We get information from the public – what do they like to do, what are their concerns – and we get information from recreation providers. But it is all from personal and passionate perspectives. The information from George and his team provide a missing piece by providing expert, scientific data and context to help us understand the current state of our natural resources."

– Dawn Collins, Arizona State Parks and Trails

CLIMAS Lead: George Frisvold

Research Team: Ashley Bickel, Dari Duval, Xinye Wu, Chenyang Hu

Publications

Duval, D., A. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2024). Differential effects of drought on Arizona state park visits: Implications for visitor spending and local economies. Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy 54(1), 91-114.

Frisvold, G., D. Duval. C. Montanía. (2024). Economic Impacts of Groundwater Restrictions in the Gila Bend and Willcox Basins. Briefing Report to the Arizona Farm Bureau.

Bickel, A.K., D. Duval, G. Frisvold. (2021). Drought and Agriculture in Arizona. Final Report to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension,

Bickel, A.K., D. Duval, G. Frisvold. (2021). The Effects of Drought on Arizona Forage Production. Final Report to NOAA – National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). Boulder, CO.

Bickel, A.K., D. Duval, G. Frisvold. (2021). Drought and Insured Crop Losses in Arizona. Final Report to NOAA – National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). Boulder, CO.

Bickel, A.K., D. Duval, G. Frisvold. (2020). Agriculture in Graham and Greenlee Counties. Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Arizona.

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2021). Effects of Reservoir Levels on Arizona National Recreation Area Visitation, Visitor Spending, and Local Economies. JAWRA – Journal of the American Water Resources Association. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12962 

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, A.K., G. Frisvold. (2021). The Costs of Wildfire in Arizona: A Survey of Methods, Data, and Estimates. Final Report to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2021). The Effects of Reservoir Levels on Arizona National Recreation Area Visitation, Visitor Spending, and Local Economies. Final Report to NOAA – National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). Boulder, CO.

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2021). Drought Effects on Arizona State Park Visits, Visitor Spending, and Local Economies. Final Report to NOAA – National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). Boulder, CO. 

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2021). Drought Effects on National Park Visits, Visitor Spending, and Local Economies. Final Report to NOAA – National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). Boulder, CO. 

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2020). County Agricultural Economy Profiles for Southern Arizona. MAP Dashboard White Paper #14. Economic and Business Research Center. Eller College of Management. University of Arizona, Tucson. 

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold. (2020). Arizona County Agricultural Economy Profiles. Tucson: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. 

Duval, D., G. Frisvold, A.K. Bickel. (2020). The economic value of trails: A travel cost method study. Final Technical Report to the Arizona Parks Board. Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Arizona. 

Duval, D., A.K. Bickel, G. Frisvold, X. Wu, C. Hu. (2018). Contribution of Agriculture to the Maricopa County and Gila River Indian Community Economies. Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, Cooperative Extension Report. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

Media

The Southwest’s Most Important River is Drying Up. 2021. CNN.

US Southwest, already parched, sees ‘virtual water’ drain abroad. 2021. Grist. UnDark. Mother Jones.

Climate change could shake up Arizona agriculture. Arizona Sonora News Service.