What is the St. Johns River worth?
That's the question at the heart of a new study led by researchers at the University of North Florida.
Economists and ecologists from five institutions joined UNF in the study. It was a $400,000 state-funded project.
While calculating one number encompassing the river's value is extremely difficult, researchers were able to quantify some of the river's key functions. For example, the St. Johns increases property values by nearly $2 billion. It brings $45 million to the state in ecotourism each year. And it helps people avoid $3 billion in damage each year from flooding, by giving rainwater a place to flow.
The report states 16 percent of Florida residents traveled to the St. Johns River for some form of recreation during the past year.
