Integrated Watershed Management Modeling: Generic Optimization Model Applied to the Ipswich River Basin
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 136, Issue 5
Abstract
A generic integrated watershed management optimization model was developed to efficiently screen a broad range of technical, economic, and policy management options within a watershed system framework and select the optimal combination of management strategies and associated water allocations for designing a sustainable watershed management plan at least cost. The watershed management model integrates both natural and human elements of a watershed system including the management of ground and surface water sources, water treatment and distribution systems, human demands, wastewater treatment and collection systems, water reuse facilities, nonpotable water distribution infrastructure, aquifer storage and recharge facilities, storm water, and land use. The model was formulated as a linear program and applied to the upper Ipswich River Basin in Massachusetts. Our results demonstrate the merits of integrated watershed management by showing (1) the relative efficacy and economic efficiency of undervalued or underutilized management options such as incentive pricing; (2) the value of management strategies that serve several functions such as the benefits of increased infiltration for meeting both storm water and water supply management objectives; and (3) that both human and environmental water needs can be met by simultaneously implementing multiple diverse management tools, which in this case study led to achieving 70% of the recommended in-stream flow with only 25% decrease in net benefits.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writers thank James Limbrunner for his assistance with the TMDL2K model and the USGS for sharing their IRB data. The writers are also grateful for the comments of three anonymous reviewers, which enabled us to clarify numerous important issues. This material is based on work supported under a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the writer(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.NSFNSF
References
Donigian, A. S., Jr., and Imhoff, J. C. (2002). “From the Stanford model to BASINS: 40 years of watershed modeling.” ASCE 150th Anniversary Celebration, ASCE Task Committee on Evolution of Hydrologic Methods through Computers, Washington, D.C.
Draper, A. J., Jenkins, M. W., Kirby, K. W., Lund, J. R., and Howitt, R. E. (2003). “Economic-engineering optimization for California water management.” J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage., 129(3), 155–164.
European Union Water Framework Directive (EU WFD). (2000). “Directive 2000/60/EC of the European parliament and of the council.” Official journal of the European communities, ⟨http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2000:327:0001:0072:EN:PDF⟩.
Falkenmark, M., and Rockström, J. (2006). “The new blue and green water paradigm: Breaking new ground for water resources planning and management.” J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage., 132(3), 129–132.
Fisher, F. M., et al. (2002). “Optimal water management and conflict resolution: The Middle East water project.” Water Resour. Res., 38(11), 1243–1259.
Ford, D. (2006). “Tall, grande, or venti models?.” J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage., 132(1), 1.
Global Water Partnership (GWP). (2009). “Integrated water resources management.” ⟨http://www.gwptoolbox.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=3⟩ (Jan. 27, 2009).
Jamieson, D. G., and Fedra, K. (1996). “The ‘WaterWare’ decision-support system for river-basin planning. 1: Conceptual design.” J. Hydrol., 177(3–4), 163–175.
Kirshen, P. H. (1980). “Spatial and temporal aggregation effects in a regional water-supply planning model.” Water Resour. Res., 16(3), 457–464.
Labadie, J. W., Baldo, M. L., and Larson, G. (2000). “MODSIM: Decision support system for river basin management: Documentation and user manual.” ⟨ftp://ftp.engr.colostate.edu/people/labadie/modsim/Documentation /NewManual.pdf⟩ (June 20, 2007).
Letcher, R. A., Jakeman, A. J., and Croke, B. F. W. (2004). “Model development for integrated assessment of water allocation options.” Water Resour. Res., 40(5), W05502.
Limbrunner, J. F. (2008). “Watershed models for nonpoint source pollution management decision support.” Ph.D. thesis, Tufts Univ., Medford, Mass.
Massachusetts Geographic Information System (MassGIS). (2007). The Office of Geographic and Environmental Information, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Land use data, ⟨http://www.mass.gov/mgis/download.htm⟩.
MULINO DSS. (2007). “Multi-sectoral Integrated and Operational decision support system website.” ⟨http://siti.feem.it/mulino/index.htm⟩ (Jun. 20, 2007).
Mysiak, J., Giupponi, C., and Rosato, P. (2005). “Towards the development of a decision support system for water resource management.” Environ. Modell. Software, 20(2), 203–214.
Olmstead, S. M., and Stavins, R. N. (2007). “Managing water demand—Price vs. non-price conservation programs.” Pioneer Institute White Paper No. 39, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research, Boston, July 2007.
Pahl-Wostl, C. (2007). “The implications of complexity for integrated resources management.” Environ. Modell. Software, 22(5), 561–569.
Rogers, P. (1978). “On the choice of the ‘appropriate model’ for water resources planning and management.” Water Resour. Res., 14(6), 1003–1010.
Stallworth, H. (2003). “Water and wastewater pricing.” EPA 832-F-03-027, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ⟨http://www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/cwsrf/consrvprice.pdf⟩.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). (2004). “Guidelines for water reuse.” EPA/625/R-04/108, ⟨http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/pubs/625r04108/625r04108.htm⟩.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) (1996). “Watershed approach framework.” EPA840-S-96-001, Office of Water (4501T), US EPA, Washington, D.C.
WaterWare. (2007). “WaterWare on-line manuals.” ⟨http://www.ess.co.at/MANUALS/WATERWARE/R51reference.html⟩ (May 18, 2006).
WEAP21. (2007). “Licensing.” ⟨http://www.weap21.org/⟩ (June 20, 2007).
Yates, D., Sieber, J., Purkey, D., and Huber-Lee, A. (2005). “WEAP21-A demand-, priority-, and preference-driven water planning model, Part 1: Model characteristics.” Water Int., 30(4), 487–500.
Zagona, E. A., Fuip, T. J., Shane, R., Magee, T., and Goranflo, H. M. (2001). “RiverWare: A generalized tool for complex reservoir system modeling.” J. Am. Water Resour. Assoc., 37(4), 913–929.
Zarriello, P. J. (2002). “Simulation of reservoir storage and firm yields of three surface-water supplies, Ipswich River Basin, Massachusetts.” U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigation Report No. 02-4278, ⟨http://ma.water.usgs.gov/publications/wrir/wri024278/default.htm⟩.
Zarriello, P. J., and Ries, K. G., III. (2000). “A precipitation-runoff model for analysis of the effects of water withdrawals on streamflow, Ipswich River Basin, Massachusetts.” U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigation Report No. 00-4029, ⟨http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri004029/⟩.
Zoltay, V. I. (2007). “Integrated watershed management modeling: Optimal decision making for natural and human components.” MS thesis, Tufts Univ., Medford, Mass.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 136 • Issue 5 • September 2010
Pages: 566 - 575
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 10, 2008
Accepted: Mar 2, 2010
Published online: Mar 5, 2010
Published in print: Sep 2010
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.