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A planning DSS is typically used where water resources development, management and <br />protection are the central issues. Such studies involve reviewing long periods of historical data <br />in order to validate a decision based on the long-term hydrologic characteristics of a basin. <br />Studies may address issues such as ensuring minimum streamflows for fish or ensuring adequate <br />reservoir storage to meet agricultural demands for irrigation water. <br />A DSS devoted for administration tasks is typically used by state water officials for <br />administering water rights. The administrative component of a DSS relies on real-time data and <br />information to help make daily decisions involving water rights administration. An <br />administration tool must deal with the cumulative hydrometeorological and operational forces <br />that affect a river basin. The increasing complexity of water administration requires access to <br />real-time diversion and streamflow data together with effective analysis tools. The increased <br />complexity of water accounting required for augmentation plans and water rights transfers also <br />requires efficient access by water managers and suppliers to the same real-time data. <br />An integrated planning and administration DSS provides tools for planning studies and water <br />rights 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. The <br />SPDSS is envisioned to be this type of DSS. <br />1.4.2 The "What Il'" Decision Process <br />Most DSSs are implemented because there is a primary need to answer "what if" questions. The <br />need for this capability maybe driven by a number of reasons but is often related to management, <br />environmental and legal issues (e.g., minimum flows for fish, interstate compact issues and water <br />rights adjudication). <br />In order to implement a decision support process for problem resolution, the problem and the <br />objectives in solving the problem must first be clearly defined. Next, a procedure needs to be <br />defined to analyze or solve the problem. If this cannot be done, then the problem may have to be <br />redefined or broken into smaller components. The final output from the process is one or more <br />tangible products. Quite often, in terms of water resources modeling, these are hydrographs or <br />basin yield reports. <br />1.4.3 User-Friendly Interfaces for Decision Makers <br />DSSs are typically developed around a series of databases. The databases can be accessed <br />directly, or through graphical user interfaces (GUI) and analysis tools that are components of a <br />DSS and that provide information to decision makers. This system structure and integration <br />distinguishes a DSS by providing a framework with easy access to databases through user- <br />friendly interfaces. CDSS utilizes this type of data-centered system (see Figure 1-3). <br />p:data\gen\spdss\final report\chapter l.doc 1-9 <br />October 31, 2001 <br />