Integrated system dynamics toolbox for water resources planning.

Technical Report · Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/899361· OSTI ID:899361

Reno, Marissa Devan; Passell, Howard David; Malczynski, Leonard A; Peplinski, William J; Tidwell, Vincent Carroll; Coursey, Don ^[1]; Hanson, Jason ^[2]; Grimsrud, Kristine ^[3]; Thacher, Jennifer ^[4]; Broadbent, Craig ^[5]; Brookshire, David ^[6]; Chemak, Janie ^[6]; Cockerill, Kristan ^[7]; Aragon, Carlos ^[8]; Hallett, Heather ^[9]; Vivoni, Enrique ^[10]; Roach, Jesse

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1. University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
3. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
4. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
5. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
6. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
7. Cockeril Consulting, Boone, NC
8. New Mexico Univeristy of Technology and Mining (NM-TECH), Socorro, NM
9. New Mexico Univeristy of Technology and Mining (NM-TECH), Socorro, NM
10. New Mexico Univeristy of Technology and Mining (NM-TECH), Socorro, NM

Public mediated resource planning is quickly becoming the norm rather than the exception. Unfortunately, supporting tools are lacking that interactively engage the public in the decision-making process and integrate over the myriad values that influence water policy. In the pages of this report we document the first steps toward developing a specialized decision framework to meet this need; specifically, a modular and generic resource-planning ''toolbox''. The technical challenge lies in the integration of the disparate systems of hydrology, ecology, climate, demographics, economics, policy and law, each of which influence the supply and demand for water. Specifically, these systems, their associated processes, and most importantly the constitutive relations that link them must be identified, abstracted, and quantified. For this reason, the toolbox forms a collection of process modules and constitutive relations that the analyst can ''swap'' in and out to model the physical and social systems unique to their problem. This toolbox with all of its modules is developed within the common computational platform of system dynamics linked to a Geographical Information System (GIS). Development of this resource-planning toolbox represents an important foundational element of the proposed interagency center for Computer Aided Dispute Resolution (CADRe). The Center's mission is to manage water conflict through the application of computer-aided collaborative decision-making methods. The Center will promote the use of decision-support technologies within collaborative stakeholder processes to help stakeholders find common ground and create mutually beneficial water management solutions. The Center will also serve to develop new methods and technologies to help federal, state and local water managers find innovative and balanced solutions to the nation's most vexing water problems. The toolbox is an important step toward achieving the technology development goals of this center.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 899361
• Report Number(s): SAND2006-7676; TRN: US200708%%402
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
COMPUTERS
DECISION MAKING
ECOLOGY
ECONOMICS
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
HYDROLOGY
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
MANAGEMENT
PLANNING
RESOLUTION
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
WATER
WATER POLICY
WATER RESOURCES
Water quality management-Government policy
United States.
Environmental policy.
Research-Decision making.
Public welfare-Decision making.
Decision making.