Laserfiche WebLink
<br />,'4 <br /> <br />,) , ~ l <br />iL., J) /. <br />~ <br />systems is due to: <br />1. collective frustration with the command and control approach which has <br />been in favor for more than a decade; <br />2. significant shift in power during the same time period with non-federal <br />entities emerging as more important partners due to the federal government <br />withdrawing financial support; <br />3. the growing concern over cost-effectiveness and explicit risk analysis; <br />4. integrated planning approaches have worked well in the related electric <br />energy field; and <br />5. the watershed approach is preferable from technical and economic view- <br />points. <br /> <br />r <br /> <br />{' <br />r, <br /> <br />While it is axiomatic that integrated, holistic, sustainable infrastruc- <br />ture systems are very desirable, we have had few demonstrated success stories <br />of how such systems might function effectively. <br /> <br />2.1.2 Watsrshed Planning Methodologies <br />Early watershed planning efforts focused on developing "master plans" <br />which, once approved, would serve as a blueprint for management in the basin. <br />The widespread availability of mainframe computers in the 1960's led to <br />large-scale efforts to develop "rational" master plans (Maass et al. 1962). <br />An updated summary of these quantitative methodologies is contained in Mays <br />and Tung (1992). Models have had a strong positive influence in water re- <br />sources planning (Office of Technology Assessment, 1982). <br />Dissatisfaction with rational planning models and major improvements in <br />metrology led to the more recent shift to data rather than model driven <br />approaches wherein the analyst attempts to match the models with the data. <br />These information driven approaches are often classified as Decision Support <br />Systems (OSSs). Contemporary OSSs contain a,mixture of simulation and opti- <br />mization models, databases, geographical information systems, typically with <br />a graphics front-end, to integrate these systems. The DSS can incorporate <br />real-time control systems as they become operational. The OSS is more than a <br />series of interface programs. It also embodies a different philosophy of <br />planning. Rather than focusing on "solving the problem", the OSS provides an <br />operational framework in which interested parties can obtain the desired <br />information in a variety of ways ranging from highly technical topics to <br />output for interested lay citizens. <br />A major limitation in our ability to demonstrate the feasibility of an <br />holistic watershed approach is that these systems have become increasingly <br />complex. For example, prior to 1970, environmental considerations were only <br />incidental to watershed studies. The addition of environmental considera- <br />tions has gone from doing environmental impact assessments to the present <br />focus on protecting "ecological integrity" however that is defined. In order <br />to demonstrate the feasibility of the watershed approach, it is essential to <br />select a single watershed in which we bring together the latest technological <br />advances so that any individual user can analyze how changes in their aspect <br />of the process will influence the rest of the system. <br /> <br />2.2 Urban Infras~ruc~ure Systems <br /> <br />2.2.1 OVerview <br />Heaney (1995) reviewed the history of urban water resources research as <br />part of a recent HEe sponsored workshop on future directions of urban water <br />resources. Great strides were made in urban water and environmental manage- <br />ment during the 1960's and 1970's because of generous federal support for <br /> <br />2 <br />