The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of commercial/industrial activity on the quality of the recreation experience for participants in both water-based or water-enhanced outdoor recreation activities within an urban river corridor. In addition, the study specifies the relationship between social, psychological and use characteristics of these participants, and the degree to which their enjoyable recreational use of the urban river corridor is impaired by commercial/industrial activity. The research setting for this study is the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor in North Central Illinois. Path analysis was used to examine these relationships. The results of the study suggest that degree to which commercial/industrial activity detracts from the level of satisfaction with the recreation experience can partially be attributed to the specific category of commercial/industrial use the specific recreation activity and social, psychological and use characteristics of the recreationist. The information contained in this dissertation should allow for a more successful integration of a wide range of commercial/industrial and recreational uses of urban river corridors.