Using dynamic system models for water use accountability and planning in Georgia

Abstract

Effective water use planning relies on the ability to first quantify the distribution of water within a system and then evaluate alternative strategies to identify the outcome that offers the greatest improvement of accountability and conservation. Since the outcome is typically dependent on complex systems that are difficult to predict, even the most sophisticated planners may conclude that the unknowns are insurmountable, and end up making decisions based on intuition. Dynamic system models provide a decision framework that can be used to evaluate strategies ranging from an intuitive to more rational, quantitative approach.