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Introduction <br />• Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />• Colorado Division of Wildlife <br />• Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation <br />• U. S. Geological Survey <br />• U. S. Forest Service <br />• U. S. Bureau of Land Management <br />• U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />• U. S. Bureau of Reclamation <br />• National Park Service <br />1.5 Decision Support Systems <br />The DSS term has become a common phrase used to describe multiple software products and systems <br />that are linked together. A DSS is typically a group of tools that helps users make decisions, not by <br />telling them what an expert would do, but by providing data displays, analytical results, and model <br />output that summarize the information that the decision-maker needs in order to make a decision. A <br />DSS does not have to be large or complex, but it should provide a timely and relatively complete <br />view of a problem such that a problem can be addressed more efficiently and comprehensively than in <br />the past. <br />1.5.1 DSS Classes <br />DSS uses can be divided into three main classes: <br />1. Planning D S S <br />2. Administrative DSS <br />3. Integrated planning and administrative DSS <br />A planning DSS is typically used where water resources development and protection are the central <br />issues. Such studies typically involve studying long periods of data in order to validate a decision <br />based on the long-term behavior of a basin. Studies may address issues like ensuring minimum <br />streamflows for fish or ensuring proper reservoir storage for agricultural demands. <br />A DSS devoted to administrative tasks generally relies somewhat on planning studies because <br />properly conducted planning studies will have defined a basin's seasonal operating plans. However, <br />the administrative components of a DSS generally rely more on real-time information to help make <br />daily decisions for reservoir releases and diversions. Whereas a planning tool models basin behavior <br />under a historic or synthetic hydrologic sequence, an administrative tool must deal in some way with <br />all of the cumulative hydrometeorological and operational forces in effect, including storm events, <br />water use cycles, and agricultural practices. <br />An integrated planning and administrative DSS provides tools for planning studies and water <br />resources administration. For example, an administrative tool may rely on displays of historical data <br />and the planning model results to indicate the reasonable bounds of a real-time decision. Depending <br />on the requirements of the system, this may involve data sharing or the components may have the <br />same look and feel but not share data. <br />1.5.2 The "What If?" Decision Process <br />Most DSSs are implemented because there is a primary need to answer "what if?" questions. The <br />need for this capability may be driven by a number of reasons but is often related to management, <br />a454/report/fmaUintro.doc 07/2&~OS l-9 <br />