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Multi-objective optimization of riparian buffer networks; valuing present and future benefits
Citation:
Piscopo, A. AND N. Detenbeck. Multi-objective optimization of riparian buffer networks; valuing present and future benefits. World Environmental & Water Resources Congress, Sacramento, CA, May 21 - 25, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
Riparian buffers and other types of green infrastructure (GI) are known to provide a number of benefits to watersheds, including reduction of pollutant loads to receiving water bodies. Approaches to support water resources planning and management, such as multi-objective optimization, often consider the present system conditions as the baseline to which new management options are evaluated, which can overlook the inherent benefits provided by GI. This study incorporates GI benefits into the problem formulation used for optimization in order to develop comprehensive management solutions.
Description:
Multi-objective optimization has emerged as a popular approach to support water resources planning and management. This approach provides decision-makers with a suite of management options which are generated based on metrics that represent different social, economic, and environmental goals. Many problem formulations for multi-objective optimization consider the present system conditions as the baseline to which new management options are evaluated. Consequently, the inherent benefits of the system are not captured by the problem formulation, meaning that their value is not incorporated into management solutions. This is especially true for systems that benefit from the services of riparian buffers or other types of green infrastructure (GI) that reduce nutrient loads to water bodies. The costs of different management options, including purchasing easements to protect riparian buffers, are difficult for water managers to justify unless the present services of GI are formally incorporated into optimization approaches to inform decision-making. In this study, we formulate our optimization problem to consider the present and future impacts of buffers on water quality in addition to the total amount of protected buffer land. The management solutions generated during multi-objective optimization include options that protect riparian buffers, reflecting the tradeoff between minimizing cost and reducing nutrient loads. We conduct this study for a riparian buffer network in the Taunton River Watershed in Massachusetts but our methods can be extended to other types of GI and to other watersheds.