For Immediate Release

June 18, 2026

Media Contact:

Monice Wong, Media Relations Manager

Mwong@portlandalliance.com

Portland’s Untapped Economic Asset – The Willamette River. Investment in Portland’s Waterfront Recreation Must Catch Up to Peer Cities

New analysis conducted by ECOnorthwest and led by a public-private partnership including the Portland Metro Chamber, Human Access Project and 14 partner organizations reveals gaps and opportunities.

Portland, OR — The Portland Metro Chamber has released a new report analyzing the economic gaps and potential of the Willamette Riverfront, developed in partnership with Human Access Project and 14 private, public, and non-profit organizations and presented by ECOnorthwest. 

The report answers three key research questions: 

• How does Willamette River recreation support economic value today?
• What economic opportunities for river recreation are Portland missing out on?
• What could success look like for more fully activating the recreational value of the river?

​Portland’s Willamette River is one of the city’s iconic features. The City’s investments in water quality improvement like the Big Pipe and strong river advocacy efforts from community organizations have transformed it into an asset that supports recreation, commercial uses, and civic pride. Future investments could be natural, like protecting water quality for swimming, physical, like expanding access points and amenities in and along the river, and social, like supporting organizational and cultural relationships.

Today, the river supports at least 2 million annual recreational visitors who engage in land- and water-based activities, with the majority of recreation occurring at riverfront parks.

Recreation in and around the Willamette River study area contributes an estimated $121 million each year in visitor spending, plus $190 million in additional non-market, recreational value, which represents the benefits and enjoyment people experience that are not captured in market transactions.

Takeaways: How Portland Compares with Peer Cities

The study compared Portland’s waterfront investment and activation to that of peer cities, including Pittsburgh, Boise, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Vancouver in British Columbia.

The analysis concluded that Portland has invested less than its peers in river recreation amenities.

• Portland has seen less investment per capita on the Willamette since 2000 than comparison cities.
• Half of Portland’s total amount of investment on the Willamette occurred in the early 2000s and has not kept pace in recent years.
• While Portland performs relatively well in riverfront park use and access, its river recreation amenities remain less developed than those in peer cities.
• Portland lags peer cities in amenities like non-motorized rentals, such as kayak rentals, water taxis and ferries, and floating venues.

Takeaways: River-Adjacent Activities Are the Largest Driver of Visitors and Economic Value

• River-adjacent recreation generates about 94% of river-related spending annually, whereas non-commercial in-river recreation generates only about 6%.
• Despite $1.4 billion+ invested in Portland’s water quality and $100 million+ in river-related recreation facilities and access over the last 25 years, river-adjacent activities remain the larger driver of recreation users and economic value.

​Scott Fogarty, Executive Director of Human Access Project, adds, “The vision of Human Access Project is a city in love with its river. We work to facilitate conservation, education, and stewardship of the Willamette River and Watershed, and as Jacques Cousteau said so well, ‘People protect what they love.’ By following examples set by peer cities and creating more opportunities for all Portlanders to accessibly enjoy the river, we can thoughtfully activate the waterfront to become a central hub of Portland.”  

Andrew Hoan, Chamber President and CEO, states, “The modern city of Portland was intentionally founded at the crossroads of two superhighways of freshwater, the Columbia and Willamette. They are our greatest natural resources.The findings of this study show that Portlanders love the Willamette, and yet, we have woefully underinvested in accessible opportunities to enjoy this defining natural feature. With our city’s economic future uncertain, we must focus our increasingly scarce public and private resources in creating opportunities that both improve our quality of life and create an economic return on our collective investment. Every great city leverages its waterfront, and it’s Portland’s time to do so with our incredible waterfront.”

“The study’s analysis of peer cities’ best practices also shows the effectiveness of public-private partnerships to make more in-river and river-adjacent recreation opportunities accessible to the public. As we work to recover our city’s vibrancy and economy, let’s think big about new ways to help more residents enjoy our city’s amenities. If public and private partners can follow peer cities’ best practices and coordinate on clear, shared revitalization priorities, like sustainably activating the waterfront, Portlanders will be able to enjoy a more connected, vibrant city.”

Dan Yates, Co-founder of Portland Spirit Cruises & Events, adds, “For more than three decades, Portland Spirit has called Tom McCall Waterfront Park home, welcoming more than 60,000 passengers annually to experience Portland from the Willamette River. That perspective has shown us both the incredible value of our waterfront and the untapped opportunities that still exist. Peer cities across the country have demonstrated more ways to activate their waterfronts and create vibrant spaces that attract residents and visitors alike. We believe Portland deserves a world-class waterfront where people can gather, play, connect with the river, and support a thriving local economy.”

In Conclusion: What Can Portland Do to Grow the Economic Value of River Recreation? 

Over the last 25 years, over $1.4 billion has been invested in Portland’s water quality and over $100 million has been invested in river-related recreation facilities and access. Yet, current recreation patterns suggest the Willamette River study area is underutilized.

Portlanders have strong demand for outdoor recreation and a desire to engage with the river despite underinvestment. Innovative and broadly accessible river-recreation amenities are likely to translate into more dollars spent and more engagement in water-based activities.

The study concludes that Portland can create these opportunities by:

• Diversifying and enhancing access for water-based recreation amenities in the river, on the river, and by the river.
• Coordinating among river champions to align strategies, build relationships, and expand resource pools for investment.
• Building public-private partnerships for investment and stewardship to support rapid and sustainable expansion of water-based recreation amenities.
• Developing data collection infrastructure, such as filling data gaps to inform future decision-making about river investments.

​The full presentation of the results is attached, along with a handout summarizing the results.

The report was produced by ECOnorthwest and presented by the Portland Metro Chamber, Human Access Project, OMSI, Albina Vision Trust, Portland Trail Blazers, Portland Spirit, Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland General Electric, Portland State University, Travel Portland, Travel Oregon, Oregon Metro, Sport Oregon, Central Eastside Industrial Council, Port of Portland, and OnPoint Credit Union.

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About the Portland Metro Chamber: The Portland Metro Chamber was founded in 1870 and represents the largest, most diverse business network in the region. The Chamber brings together more than 2,200 members represented by dynamic and varied employers from around the region. Grounded in its mission to create opportunity and advance well-being for all who live and work in the greater Portland and SW Washington region, the Chamber envisions a healthy and resilient business ecosystem where we work together to increase collaboration in governance; engage community; increase civic leadership; and advocate for a vibrant, livable place for all. Learn more at PortlandMetroChamber.com.

About ECOnorthwest: ECOnorthwest is an independent economic consulting firm. Since 1974, we have worked with a variety of public and private clients across the country, offering economic perspectives on issues ranging from wildfire recovery to education inequities and affordable housing. Our clients have one thing in common -- they want insightful, rigorous analyses to strengthen policy and investment decisions. Learn more at econw.com.

About Human Access Project: Human Access Project (HAP) is a grassroots advocacy group catalyzing cultural change around how people feel about and interact with the Willamette River in Portland. HAP was conceived in 2010 by Executive Director/Ringleader Willie Levenson, who, in his own words, wanted to swim in the Willamette River and got a little carried away. Since then, HAP has worked to shift public perception of the river—from an unsafe water body to a beloved public space and natural treasure to be enjoyed and protected. Through advocacy, riverside development, and creative activations and programming, HAP helps people feel welcome, safe, and excited to “get into their river.” Learn more at HumanAccessProject.com