Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases

Abstract Tensions between delivering water for human uses versus environmental benefits are increasing in many arid and semiarid regions, potentially causing irreversible environmental consequences. The issue of how to balance these competing uses of water is of fundamental importance, especially wi...

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Main Authors: Long Chu, R. Quentin Grafton, Michael Stewardson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-06-01
Series:Earth's Future
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF000879
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author Long Chu
R. Quentin Grafton
Michael Stewardson
author_facet Long Chu
R. Quentin Grafton
Michael Stewardson
author_sort Long Chu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Tensions between delivering water for human uses versus environmental benefits are increasing in many arid and semiarid regions, potentially causing irreversible environmental consequences. The issue of how to balance these competing uses of water is of fundamental importance, especially with projected increases in the variability of water resources due to climate change. In response, a stochastic resilience optimization model is developed to assist decision‐makers to optimally determine water releases from storages for environmental purposes and to measure the resilience of a system for given risk tolerances. The model, with sensitivity analyses, provides a valuable tool for water planners to minimize the risk of irreversible consequences and to optimize for resilience taking into account weather uncertainty, existing environmental conditions, and water storage levels. A calibration of the model to the Murray‐Darling Basin and also the Goulburn‐Broken catchment region in Australia highlights its potential to improve decision‐making at multiple spatial scales and over time.
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spelling doaj.art-5b18bd4cc4bb4dc1b39b365ddd34193d2022-12-22T02:33:22ZengWileyEarth's Future2328-42772018-06-016677779210.1029/2018EF000879Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water ReleasesLong Chu0R. Quentin Grafton1Michael Stewardson2Crawford School of Public Policy Australian National University Acton Australian Capital Territory AustraliaCrawford School of Public Policy Australian National University Acton Australian Capital Territory AustraliaDepartment of Infrastructure Engineering University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria AustraliaAbstract Tensions between delivering water for human uses versus environmental benefits are increasing in many arid and semiarid regions, potentially causing irreversible environmental consequences. The issue of how to balance these competing uses of water is of fundamental importance, especially with projected increases in the variability of water resources due to climate change. In response, a stochastic resilience optimization model is developed to assist decision‐makers to optimally determine water releases from storages for environmental purposes and to measure the resilience of a system for given risk tolerances. The model, with sensitivity analyses, provides a valuable tool for water planners to minimize the risk of irreversible consequences and to optimize for resilience taking into account weather uncertainty, existing environmental conditions, and water storage levels. A calibration of the model to the Murray‐Darling Basin and also the Goulburn‐Broken catchment region in Australia highlights its potential to improve decision‐making at multiple spatial scales and over time.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF000879natural capitalMurray‐Darling Basinsustainabilityriskuncertaintyoptimization
spellingShingle Long Chu
R. Quentin Grafton
Michael Stewardson
Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases
Earth's Future
natural capital
Murray‐Darling Basin
sustainability
risk
uncertainty
optimization
title Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases
title_full Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases
title_fullStr Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases
title_full_unstemmed Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases
title_short Resilience, Decision‐making, and Environmental Water Releases
title_sort resilience decision making and environmental water releases
topic natural capital
Murray‐Darling Basin
sustainability
risk
uncertainty
optimization
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF000879
work_keys_str_mv AT longchu resiliencedecisionmakingandenvironmentalwaterreleases
AT rquentingrafton resiliencedecisionmakingandenvironmentalwaterreleases
AT michaelstewardson resiliencedecisionmakingandenvironmentalwaterreleases