Flows are being restored because the Friant Dam has been diverting much of the water for irrigation, causing about 60 miles of the river to run dry.
Farmers and environmentalists reached a legal settlement to put more water back into the river - a plan authorized by Congress.
Shawn Kantor is a UC Merced Economics Professor.
"All this litigation is over - I was looking at what the job impact would be."
Kantor says most of the jobs will be in construction such as
channel improvements and water diversion. When construction is
finished, he says more than 475 leisure-related jobs will be
created.
"Having a restored river close to these urban settings,
near Fresno, Madera Merced, it's going to improve opportunities for
recreation like boating, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, wildlife
watching."
Kantor says hundreds of other jobs will be created by
environmental groups working to fund wildlife habitat
projects.