Dad Rock, Fishing Licenses, and Tires: Is the James River Really a Public Good?

The Upper James River appears to satisfy the two characteristics of a public good. There are 12 public access ramps along the 63-mile stretch, which are free to use for the public, making it non-excludable. Combined with free access, the length and size of the river make it non-rivalrous to an extent. Since the river is not infinite in size, it is possible for it to become too crowded. Take, for example, someone nearby is playing dad rock from two massive speakers strapped to their kayak, and you just despise dad rock. If the river was crowded and you couldn't get far away, their addition to the river diminishes your utility gained by the river. However, I would argue that this is a rare occurrence, and unless you hop on the river during a major holiday, I would say it functions as a public good.

Perhaps the largest threat to the non-rivalrous aspect of the river is pollution. For many years, the river has been used as a cost-efficient avenue to get rid of trash and other waste. The negative externalities caused by these actions are obvious - one example of this is the surprisingly large number of tires dumped into the James, which affect water quality and the aesthetics of the river. While there are government regulations against such action, they still happen, and most conservation efforts are headed by local businesses and volunteers (like Twin River Outfitters, who everyone should check out).

Two of my coworkers, Jack and Isaac (left to right) after a successful river cleanup

If you like to fish, then you will be sad to find that there are measures in place to make the classic pastime excludable. In order to fish on the James, you must have a valid fishing license and abide by state regulations set in place by the Virginia DWR. A few years ago, the local Botetourt County community was in an uproar over a proposed boating access and permit fee. If approved, this daily $4 fee would have introduced a barrier to entry to river access and made the river excludable, threatening the sanctity of the James as well as local business operations (thankfully the decision was overturned).

Overall, the James River survives as a public good through local and state government maintenance and regulation, but I argue it is mainly due to the altruistic actions of the local community.