Data and Code for: Wetlands, Flooding, and the Clean Water Act

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Charles Taylor , Columbia University ; Hannah Druckenmiller, Resources for the Future

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  replication_files 01/13/2022 10:41:AM

Project Citation: 

Taylor , Charles, and Druckenmiller, Hannah. Data and Code for: Wetlands, Flooding, and the Clean Water Act. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2022. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-03-25. https://doi.org/10.3886/E153221V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary In 2020 the EPA narrowed the definition of ‘Waters of the United States', significantly limiting wetland protection under the Clean Water Act. Current policy debates center on the uncertainty around wetland benefits. We estimate the value of wetlands for flood mitigation across the US using detailed flood claims and land use data. We find the average hectare of wetland lost between 2001 and 2016 cost society $1,840 annually, and over $8,000 in developed areas. We document significant spatial heterogeneity in wetland benefits, with implications for flood insurance policy and the 50% of ‘isolated’ wetlands at risk of losing federal protection.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms Ecosystem valuation; Wetlands; Flood mitigation
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      Q51 Valuation of Environmental Effects
      Q57 Ecological Economics: Ecosystem Services; Biodiversity Conservation; Bioeconomics; Industrial Ecology
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 2001 – 2016


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Published Versions

V1 [2022-03-25]

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