The Role of Decision Support Systems and Other Tools in Watershed PlanningThe Role of Decision Support Systems

and Other Tools in Watershed Planning

Rick Farnsworth Bernie Engel Jon Bartholic Rich Zdanowicz

Watershed Planning in the Great Lakes Region:

Exploring Future Collaborative Opportunities

and Partnerships

October 26, 2004

Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center

OutlineOutline

1. e-Decision Support Systems 1. e-Decision Support Systems

2. Midwest Partnership Approach 2. Midwest Partnership Approach

3. New Components 3. New Components

4. Summary 4. Summary

What is e-DDS?What is e-DDS?Information TechnologyInformation Technology

++Decision Support SystemDecision Support System

Information TechnologyInformation Technology++

Decision Support SystemDecision Support System

• DatabasesDatabases

• Simulation modelsSimulation models

• Decision modelsDecision models

• User interfaces User interfaces

Decision support system (DSS) consists of Decision support system (DSS) consists of

that decision makers use to evaluate the that decision makers use to evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of economic and environmental impacts of competing alternatives.competing alternatives.

Role

e-DSS: Key Elementse-DSS: Key Elements

• Client-based (problem driven)Client-based (problem driven)

• Internet-basedInternet-based

– User-friendly interfaceUser-friendly interface

– Decisions in a few clicks or screens Decisions in a few clicks or screens

• GIS-based (thin client)GIS-based (thin client)

• Science-basedScience-based

Midwest Partnership ApproachMidwest Partnership Approach

• Development and implementation of a standard Development and implementation of a standard for other watershed management DSSfor other watershed management DSS

– Promoting data initiativesPromoting data initiatives

– Relating specific tools to planning process phases and Relating specific tools to planning process phases and learning objectiveslearning objectives

– Creating systems where outputs of tools can be plugged Creating systems where outputs of tools can be plugged

into other modelsinto other models

• Development, promotion, and use of web-based, Development, promotion, and use of web-based, user-friendly, geo-spatial watershed management user-friendly, geo-spatial watershed management data, decision support tools, and systemsdata, decision support tools, and systems

Midwest Partnership ApproachMidwest Partnership Approach

Universities

Organizations

EPA diagram

Midwest Partnership: ExampleMidwest Partnership: Example

Purdue

Michigan State

Region 5 EPA

Digital Digital WatershedWatershed

L-THIA L-THIA and and

support support toolstools

Coordination Coordination & network& network

New DSS Components: Optimized L-THIANew DSS Components: Optimized L-THIA

http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~sedspec/LTHIA7/lthia/arunoff6.htmhttp://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~sedspec/LTHIA7/lthia/arunoff6.htm

Optimized L-THIA (cont.)

Optimized L-THIA (cont.)

Select the land that Select the land that can changecan change

Identify new land use Identify new land use and amountand amount

Optimized L-THIA (cont.)

Optimized L-THIA (cont.)

MinimumMinimum

MaximumMaximum

Optimized L-THIA (cont.)Optimized L-THIA (cont.)

Detailed Output

New DSS Components: WHATNew DSS Components: WHAT

Web-based Hydrograph

Analysis Tool

http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~what/http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~what/

New DSS Components: WHATNew DSS Components: WHAT

New DSS Components: WHATNew DSS Components: WHAT

Next step: Calibration of Next step: Calibration of models (L-THIA)models (L-THIA)

New DSS Components: EQIPNew DSS Components: EQIP

Environmental Quality

Incentives Program

http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~what/http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~what/

New DSS Components: EQIPNew DSS Components: EQIPhttp://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~eqip/DEMO/main_menuhttp://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~eqip/DEMO/main_menu

New DSS Components: EQIPNew DSS Components: EQIP

Methodology Methodology transferable to transferable to other programs other programs such as TMDL such as TMDL implementationimplementation

Methodology Methodology transferable to transferable to other programs other programs such as TMDL such as TMDL implementationimplementation

New DSS Components: Data SharingNew DSS Components: Data Sharing

http://watershed.agriculture.purdue.edu/

New DSS Components: Data SharingNew DSS Components: Data Sharing

Access to all our Access to all our databases. Our databases. Our data layers can data layers can be added to your be added to your data layers. data layers.

Access to all our Access to all our databases. Our databases. Our data layers can data layers can be added to your be added to your data layers. data layers.

New DSS Components: Data SharingNew DSS Components: Data Sharing

Watershed Decision Support SystemWatershed Decision Support System

DataData ModelsModels SystemSystem

Yes, and we Yes, and we are sharingare sharing

Several models Several models and we are and we are linking themlinking them

Building a small Building a small system using system using available toolsavailable tools