Status of Water Resource Systems Analysis

Although substantial progress has been made in simulating the physical operation of water resource systems, challenging problems still remain. These consist of multi-objective evaluations of physical output and application of operations research techniques. The application of stochastic theory to water resource systems analysis also remains a challenge, although great progress has been made in recent years. The development of an optimum plan of water resources management will require the integration of objectives such as economic efficiency, environmental protection, ecological management, and social well-being. Application of operations research techniques, such as linear or dynamic programming, has been impeded by the extreme complexity of water resource systems. Nonlinearities and interrelationships that change with time and location make optimization particularly difficult. The most promising approach appears to be the internal analysis of systems that would lead to logical deduction of system outputs from system inputs.