An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality Changes in the U.S.
Citation:
Corona, J., T. Doley, C. Griffiths, David Massey, Christopher Moore, S. Muela, B. Rashleigh, W. Wheeler, Stephen Whitlock, AND J. Hewitt. An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality Changes in the U.S. In Proceedings, Social Cost of Water Pollution Workshop, Ithaca, NY, April 03 - 05, 2019. Cornell University, Ithaca , NY, 1-15, (2019).
Impact/Purpose:
We introduce a set of models being developed at EPA to support water quality benefits valuation, demonstrate their ability to function as an integrated assessment model through a case study in the Missouri River Region , and outline an active research and development agenda which will result in additional capabilities to perform a variety of water quality valuation analyses across the national landscape. The open source, collaborative approach we have taken to model development is designed to allow us to incorporate new data, approaches, and techniques developed by other researchers in this area.
Description:
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) often requires expertise from environmental assessors, hydrologists, economists, and others to analyze the benefits of regional and national policy decisions related to changes in water quality. This led EPA to develop two integral components in a water quality IAM: (1) the Hydrologic and Water Quality System (HAWQS), and (2) the Benefits Spatial Platform for Aggregating Socioeconomics and H2O Quality (BenSPLASH). HAWQS is a web-based interactive water quantity and quality modeling system that simulates the effects of an extensive array management practices and terrestrial landscapes on several water quality parameters. The BenSPLASH modeling platform is designed to quantify the economic benefits of changes in those water quality parameters. This paper applies HAWQS and BenSPLASH to a case study in the Lower Missouri River Basin .