Grantee Research Project Results
2000 Progress Report: An Integrated GIS Framework for Water Reallocation and Decision Making in the Upper Rio Grande Basin
EPA Grant Number: R828070Title: An Integrated GIS Framework for Water Reallocation and Decision Making in the Upper Rio Grande Basin
Investigators: Matthews, Olen Paul , Scuderi, Louis A. , Campana, Michael E. , Brookshire, David S. , Cullen, Brad T. , Chermak, Janie , Krause, Kate , Gregory, Kirk , Snell, Seth
Current Investigators: Matthews, Olen Paul , Scuderi, Louis A. , Campana, Michael E. , Brookshire, David S. , Cullen, Brad T. , Demint, Ann , Chermak, Janie , Coonrod, Julie , Benedict, Karl , Krause, Kate , Reno, Marissa , Ewers, Mary , Greer, Michael , Pease, Mike , Watson, Rick
Institution: University of New Mexico
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: March 1, 2000 through February 28, 2003
Project Period Covered by this Report: March 1, 2000 through February 28, 2001
Project Amount: $409,977
RFA: Water and Watersheds (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Water
Objective:
Reallocating water is a politically sensitive issue in the western United States. Changes from agricultural uses to urban or environmental uses are occurring, but the process tends to polarize competing water users, thus creating barriers to reallocation. The biophysical and behavioral models currently used to predict the impacts of change do not account for spatial complexity or information uncertainty in ways that overcome barriers to reallocation. An integrated approach that couples a spatial and temporal framework to biophysical, institutional, and behavioral science can reduce uncertainty.The project's two components are development of the Geographic Information System (GIS) model and stakeholder evaluation of policy options. The modeling framework of this study utilizes a raster-based distributed water balance approach in which each raster element represents a bucket through which inputs and outputs may be routed. The model utilizes a hierarchical resolution grid scheme based on a quad-tree subdivision of the landscape. The raster data structure is designed to allow an infinite number of process-specific resolutions as needed (i.e., finer cells where detail is required, coarser cells where data limitations preclude the finer scales or where processes operate on coarser scales). Stakeholders will identify issues and create future water use scenarios. The information gained during these early stages will be, to a large extent, hypothetical. We will then develop a pseudo real-time decision analysis tool that incorporates real consequences, via monetary payoffs, to minimize the potential bias in hypothetical responses. Stakeholders will make water use decisions in an experimental setting. The cumulative effects of individual stakeholder decisions will be simulated using a GIS model developed in the first 2 years of this research.
Progress Summary:
During Year 1 we have focused on defining the stakeholder groups within the upper and middle Rio Grande Basin, working on potential scenarios, and assessing data from other projects to guide us in the development of the experiments that will be run during Year 3 of the project. The Middle Rio Grande Water Assembly, which represents stakeholders in the area around Albuquerque, is in the process of developing a stakeholder-driven set of issues, scenarios, and potential actions for water management. The information gained from this work is being incorporated into this research. In northern New Mexico and Colorado, we are using a set of survey instruments that include both closed- and open-ended questions to gather quantitative and qualitative information from the largest set of stakeholders possible. The surveys will allow us to ascertain the similarities and differences across the groups and will form the basis for the scenarios for the experiments of Year 3.In addition to the preliminary work with defining stakeholder issues, we have developed a pilot experimental protocol and administered it to a sample of urban consumer stakeholders from the Albuquerque community. This protocol is necessary for use in the experimental setting for the policy scenarios. The preliminary results indicated responsiveness to price changes, as well as statistically significant consumption differences across groups.
In addition, economic, legal, and biophysical information has been collected and will be used as input into the model being developed. Economic information was acquired from a variety of sources, including the Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN) database of economic and demographic variables. Legal information pertaining to water rights and priority dates has been acquired from a variety of sources, including the State Engineer offices in Colorado and New Mexico and historical documents. For the biophysical modeling portion of the project, hydrologic, climatologic, and related data sources were identified (e.g., National Climatic Data Center [NCDC], National Resources Conservation Service [NRCS], U.S. Forest Service [USFS], U.S. Geological Survey [USGS], U.S. Bureau of Reclamation [USBR], Colorado and New Mexico State Engineer offices, San Luis Valley Irrigation District). Appropriate data were downloaded/acquired and assessed. Landsat 7 images were acquired to discern agricultural land use and vegetative cover; additional landcover data were obtained from the USGS and USFS. A preliminary ArcView Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model of the Embudo watershed in New Mexico was constructed to examine issues of scale and spatial variability, and to evaluate the functionality of a tightly coupled GIS and hydrologic model.
Future Activities:
Results from the surveys will be analyzed and used for scenario development. Protocols will be developed that will be used in the experimental setting. The pilot biophysical model will be completed and linked to the legal and economic elements.Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 59 publications | 8 publications in selected types | All 7 journal articles |
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Matthews OP, Scuderi L, Brookshire D, Gregory K, Snell S, Krause K, Chermak J, Cullen B, Campana M. Marketing western water:can a process based geographic information system improve reallocation decisions? Natural Resources Journal 2001;41(2):329-371. |
R828070 (2000) R828070 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
geographic information systems, water rights, water reallocation, environmental modeling, stakeholders, experimental economics, decision support tool., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Water, Economic, Social, & Behavioral Science Research Program, Economics & Decision Making, Urban and Regional Planning, Watersheds, decision-making, Monitoring/Modeling, Geology, Hydrology, Water & Watershed, Ecology and Ecosystems, integrated assessment, Upper Rio Grande Basin, water management options, RIo Grande watershed, water quality, hierarchical resolution grid, community-based approach, ecological models, environmental monitoring, econometrics, water monitoring, environmental decision making, water quality model, public policy, remote sensing, ecology assessment models, hydrologic modeling, changing environmental conditions, aquatic ecosystems, GIS, stakeholder feedback, community tracking, decision making, water resourcesProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.