https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230424162859.htm

"Urban streams are ubiquitous and face a number of stressors from rapid economic development," says Roger von Haefen, professor of agricultural and resource economics at North Carolina State University and corresponding author of a paper on the work. "But there have not been well-established tools to help agencies assess the benefits of regulations aimed at improving the water quality of these streams. Our work here provides a robust set of tools that allow us to assess both use and non-use benefits associated with improved water quality in urban streams."

"Use" benefits arise from how people directly interact with urban streams. For example, attractive streams can increase property values of nearby homes, whereas polluted streams may diminish property values. "Non-use" benefits capture existence and bequest values, or what people are willing to pay to protect natural resources in their natural state for the benefit of future generations.