The Use of Decision Support Systems in Water Management

Water managers, those responsible for the management of surface water and groundwater in a certain area, are tasked with reconciling divergent needs for optimum socio-economic benefits. In the past, water management questions were largely one-dimensional. Farmers, for example, wanted more water for irrigation: how could more water be extracted from the river? However, we have learned in the last decades that the consequences of such a change should be taken into account and balance with the other water related issues. Is their still enough water left for the other functions such as navigation? Does the new distribution of water effects the downstream lakes or seas? How can silting-up of the water intake and irrigation canals be avoided? These last questions also illustrate the interaction between water and land. Increasingly, more is demanded and more often. Typically, “what if?” questions require multi-dimensional answers.