Keywords

Socio-economic agents’ rationale is a determinant factor driving/affecting hydrologic processes; A holistic, multi-factor perspective is required to evaluate the impacts of policy interventions in complex human-water systems; Socio-hydrologic analysis requires both innovative and integrative socio-economic and eco-hydrologic modelling frameworks.

Start Date

25-6-2018 2:00 PM

End Date

25-6-2018 3:20 PM

Abstract

Water resources management is a non-trivial process requiring a holistic understanding of the factors driving the dynamics of human-water systems. Policy-induced or autonomous behavioural changes in human systems may affect water and land management, which may affect water systems and feedback to human systems, further impacting on water and land management. Currently, hydro-economic models lack the ability in describing such complex dynamics by either not accounting for the multi-factor/multi-output nature of these systems, and/or not being designed to operate at a river basin scale. This paper presents a methodological framework for the integration of a microeconomic multi-factor/multi-output Positive Multi-Attribute Utility Programming (PMAUP) model with the eco-hydrologic Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The connection between the two models is done under a sequential modular approach and is provided by a common spatial unit, named Hydrologic-Economic Representative Units (HERUs) and defined as rational entities resulting from the unique combination of hydrologic responsive units and socio-economic agents. The resulting SWAT-PMAUP model aims to provide the means for exploring the dynamics between the behaviour and self-organisation of socio-economic agents, and its connections with the water system through water and land management (i.e. HERUs). Methods are illustrated with an irrigation restriction policy applied to the Río Mundo sub-basin in south-eastern Spain. Results suggest that the consideration of the proposed methodological framework can capture changes in the dynamics of human-water systems following the implementation of adaptation strategies and can be a valuable tool to support decision making in a context of water resources management.

Stream and Session

E1: Coupled Surface-Subsurface Hydrologic Modelling

COinS
 
Jun 25th, 2:00 PM Jun 25th, 3:20 PM

Rationalising Systems Analysis for the Evaluation of Adaptation Strategies in Complex Human-Water Systems

Water resources management is a non-trivial process requiring a holistic understanding of the factors driving the dynamics of human-water systems. Policy-induced or autonomous behavioural changes in human systems may affect water and land management, which may affect water systems and feedback to human systems, further impacting on water and land management. Currently, hydro-economic models lack the ability in describing such complex dynamics by either not accounting for the multi-factor/multi-output nature of these systems, and/or not being designed to operate at a river basin scale. This paper presents a methodological framework for the integration of a microeconomic multi-factor/multi-output Positive Multi-Attribute Utility Programming (PMAUP) model with the eco-hydrologic Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The connection between the two models is done under a sequential modular approach and is provided by a common spatial unit, named Hydrologic-Economic Representative Units (HERUs) and defined as rational entities resulting from the unique combination of hydrologic responsive units and socio-economic agents. The resulting SWAT-PMAUP model aims to provide the means for exploring the dynamics between the behaviour and self-organisation of socio-economic agents, and its connections with the water system through water and land management (i.e. HERUs). Methods are illustrated with an irrigation restriction policy applied to the Río Mundo sub-basin in south-eastern Spain. Results suggest that the consideration of the proposed methodological framework can capture changes in the dynamics of human-water systems following the implementation of adaptation strategies and can be a valuable tool to support decision making in a context of water resources management.