IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/waterr/v21y2007i7p1049-1074.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the Gap Between Water Managers and Researchers: Difficulties of Model-Based Tools to Support Practical Water Management

Author

Listed:
  • Ilke Borowski
  • Matt Hare

Abstract

Supported by EU funds, the European research community has been putting much effort into providing model-based tools to support water resource managers in implementing water management as well as the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. This paper presents the results of a two-year long elicitation phase which aimed to explain why the use of tools in water management is not as great as the corresponding investment in applied research in this area might suggest it should be. The paper identifies a gap between water managers and research community that is evidence of a mutual misunderstanding of the fundamental activities of both communities. We elaborate on these misunderstandings between these two communities by focussing on their attitudes towards seven assumptions that derived from an elicitation phase carried out between 2003 and 2004. These misunderstandings appear to revolve around the issues of the role and importance of model-based tools in water management; the transferability of models to new target sites; the role of participatory modelling in water management; how to solve lack of confidence in model-based tools; the development of computer user interfaces to improve tool usability; and the nature of model integration. Based on these insights, recommendations for improving research, development and ultimately the use of model-based tools in river basin management processes are proposed. The recommendations include improving researchers’ understanding of water management processes and the role their tools play within such a process; identifying for both communities the importance that such tools can play as part of social learning-oriented management processes; improving the role of software consultancies as carriers of research results; considering new methods of model transferability between target basins; and expanding the structure of funding for academic research and development projects to allow the greater provision of non-technical requirements such as post-development tool maintenance and transferability, required by water managers. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Ilke Borowski & Matt Hare, 2007. "Exploring the Gap Between Water Managers and Researchers: Difficulties of Model-Based Tools to Support Practical Water Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(7), pages 1049-1074, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:21:y:2007:i:7:p:1049-1074
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-006-9098-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11269-006-9098-z
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11269-006-9098-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hare, M & Deadman, P, 2004. "Further towards a taxonomy of agent-based simulation models in environmental management," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 25-40.
    2. Guido Vonk & Stan Geertman & Paul Schot, 2005. "Bottlenecks Blocking Widespread Usage of Planning Support Systems," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(5), pages 909-924, May.
    3. Carlo Giupponi & Anthony J. Jakeman & Derek Karssenberg & Matt P. Hare (ed.), 2006. "Sustainable Management of Water Resources," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4117.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Miguel Rodríguez-Rodríguez & José Benavente, 2008. "Definition of Wetland Typology for Hydro-morphological Elements Within the WFD. A Case Study from Southern Spain," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 22(7), pages 797-821, July.
    2. Jean-Luc Kok & Sebastian Kofalk & Jürgen Berlekamp & Bernhard Hahn & Herman Wind, 2009. "From Design to Application of a Decision-support System for Integrated River-basin Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(9), pages 1781-1811, July.
    3. Liedloff, Adam C. & Smith, Carl S., 2010. "Predicting a ‘tree change’ in Australia's tropical savannas: Combining different types of models to understand complex ecosystem behaviour," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(21), pages 2565-2575.
    4. Kanapaux, William & Kiker, Gregory A., 2013. "Development and testing of an object-oriented model for adaptively managing human disturbance of least tern (Sternula antillarum) nesting habitat," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 268(C), pages 64-77.
    5. Xin He & Simon Stisen & Marianne Wiese & Hans Henriksen, 2016. "Designing a Hydrological Real-Time System for Surface Water and Groundwater in Denmark with Engagement of Stakeholders," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(5), pages 1785-1802, March.
    6. Liam James Heaphy, 2018. "The challenges of aligning the scales of urban climate science and climate policy in London and Manchester," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 36(4), pages 609-628, June.
    7. Guido Maria Bazzani, 2013. "Tools and models to support wa ter management in agriculture under policy and climate change. The Trebbia irrigation district experience," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(1), pages 125-146.
    8. Raffaele Giordano & Marcela Brugnach & Irene Pluchinotta, 2017. "Ambiguity in Problem Framing as a Barrier to Collective Actions: Some Hints from Groundwater Protection Policy in the Apulia Region," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 26(5), pages 911-932, September.
    9. Maisa’a Shammout & Muhammad Shatanawi & Sawsan Naber, 2013. "Participatory Optimization Scenario for Water Resources Management: A Case from Jordan," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(7), pages 1949-1962, May.
    10. Y. Yang & L. Wang, 2010. "A Review of Modelling Tools for Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in Handling Diffuse Water Pollution," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(9), pages 1819-1843, July.
    11. Giordano, Raffaele & D’Agostino, Daniela & Apollonio, Ciro & Scardigno, Alessandra & Pagano, Alessandro & Portoghese, Ivan & Lamaddalena, Nicola & Piccinni, Alberto F. & Vurro, Michele, 2015. "Evaluating acceptability of groundwater protection measures under different agricultural policies," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 54-66.
    12. Abdelghani A. Elimam & Maurice A. Girgis, 2012. "Optimization of Water Resources Planning for Jordan's Aqaba Special Economic Zone," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 42(6), pages 528-543, December.
    13. Judith Janssen & Arjen Hoekstra & Jean-Luc de Kok & Ralph Schielen, 2009. "Delineating the Model-Stakeholder Gap: Framing Perceptions to Analyse the Information Requirement in River Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(7), pages 1423-1445, May.
    14. Roland Barthel & Stefan Banzhaf, 2016. "Groundwater and Surface Water Interaction at the Regional-scale – A Review with Focus on Regional Integrated Models," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(1), pages 1-32, January.
    15. Daniel C. Kenny & Juan Castilla-Rho, 2022. "No Stakeholder Is an Island: Human Barriers and Enablers in Participatory Environmental Modelling," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-26, February.
    16. Joseph Bakarji & Daniel O’Malley & Velimir V. Vesselinov, 2017. "Agent-Based Socio-Hydrological Hybrid Modeling for Water Resource Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(12), pages 3881-3898, September.
    17. Gema Carmona & Consuelo Varela-Ortega & John Bromley, 2011. "The Use of Participatory Object-Oriented Bayesian Networks and Agro-Economic Models for Groundwater Management in Spain," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(5), pages 1509-1524, March.
    18. Roland Barthel & Stefan Banzhaf, 2016. "Groundwater and Surface Water Interaction at the Regional-scale – A Review with Focus on Regional Integrated Models," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(1), pages 1-32, January.
    19. Roberta Bonì & Pietro Teatini & Claudia Zoccarato & Carolina Guardiola-Albert & Pablo Ezquerro & Guadalupe Bru & Roberto Tomás & Javier Valdes-Abellan & Conception Pla & María I. Navarro-Hernández & A, 2022. "Stakeholders’ Perspective on Groundwater Management in Four Water-Stressed Mediterranean Areas: Priorities and Challenges," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-25, May.
    20. A. Pryet & B. Labarthe & F. Saleh & M. Akopian & N. Flipo, 2015. "Reporting of Stream-Aquifer Flow Distribution at the Regional Scale with a Distributed Process-Based Model," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(1), pages 139-159, January.
    21. Xin He & Simon Stisen & Marianne B. Wiese & Hans Jørgen Henriksen, 2016. "Designing a Hydrological Real-Time System for Surface Water and Groundwater in Denmark with Engagement of Stakeholders," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(5), pages 1785-1802, March.
    22. Rehana Shrestha & Johannes Flacke & Javier Martinez & Martin Van Maarseveen, 2018. "Interactive Cumulative Burden Assessment: Engaging Stakeholders in an Adaptive, Participatory and Transdisciplinary Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-23, February.
    23. Fabio Zagonari, 2010. "Sustainable, Just, Equal, and Optimal Groundwater Management Strategies to Cope with Climate Change: Insights from Brazil," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(13), pages 3731-3756, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sadie McEvoy & Frans H. M. van de Ven & Reinder Brolsma & Jill H. Slinger, 2019. "Evaluating a Planning Support System’s Use and Effects in Urban Adaptation: An Exploratory Case Study from Berlin, Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-27, December.
    2. Johannes Dahlke & Kristina Bogner & Matthias Mueller & Thomas Berger & Andreas Pyka & Bernd Ebersberger, 2020. "Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? Machine Learning (ML) In and For Agent-Based Modelling (ABM)," Papers 2003.11985, arXiv.org.
    3. te Brömmelstroet, Marco, 2017. "Towards a pragmatic research agenda for the PSS domain," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 77-83.
    4. Sofia Eckersten & Berit Balfors & Ulrika Gunnarsson-Östling, 2021. "Challenges and Opportunities in Early Stage Planning of Transport Infrastructure Projects: Environmental Aspects in the Strategic Choice of Measures Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Chiara Cocco & Piotr Jankowski & Michele Campagna, 2019. "An Analytic Approach to Understanding Process Dynamics in Geodesign Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-21, September.
    6. James D. A. Millington & Hang Xiong & Steve Peterson & Jeremy Woods, 2017. "Integrating Modelling Approaches for Understanding Telecoupling: Global Food Trade and Local Land Use," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Martin J Wassen & Hens Runhaar & Aat Barendregt & Tomasz Okruszko, 2011. "Evaluating the Role of Participation in Modeling Studies for Environmental Planning," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 38(2), pages 338-358, April.
    8. Marco Te Brömmelstroet & Luca Bertolini, 2010. "Integrating land use and transport knowledge in strategy-making," Transportation, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 85-104, January.
    9. J. Gareth Polhill & Dawn C. Parker & Daniel Brown & Volker Grimm, 2008. "Using the ODD Protocol for Describing Three Agent-Based Social Simulation Models of Land-Use Change," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 11(2), pages 1-3.
    10. Tessa Eikelboom & Ron Janssen, 2015. "Comparison of Geodesign Tools to Communicate Stakeholder Values," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 1065-1087, November.
    11. Geertman, Stan, 2017. "PSS: Beyond the implementation gap," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 70-76.
    12. Siew, Tuck Fatt, 2008. "Transferable decision-making procedure for integrated flood management: A theoretical approach to the micro studies of human decision-making and decision makers heuristics," Working Papers 49-2008, University of Freiburg, Chair of Forestry Economics and Planning.
    13. Bert, Federico E. & Rovere, Santiago L. & Macal, Charles M. & North, Michael J. & Podestá, Guillermo P., 2014. "Lessons from a comprehensive validation of an agent based-model: The experience of the Pampas Model of Argentinean agricultural systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 273(C), pages 284-298.
    14. Haozhi Pan & Stan Geertman & Brian Deal, 2020. "What does urban informatics add to planning support technology?," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 47(8), pages 1317-1325, October.
    15. Pelzer, Peter, 2017. "Usefulness of planning support systems: A conceptual framework and an empirical illustration," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 84-95.
    16. Papa, Enrica & Coppola, Pierluigi & Angiello, Gennaro & Carpentieri, Gerardo, 2017. "The learning process of accessibility instrument developers: Testing the tools in planning practice," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 108-120.
    17. Ascough, J.C. & Maier, H.R. & Ravalico, J.K. & Strudley, M.W., 2008. "Future research challenges for incorporation of uncertainty in environmental and ecological decision-making," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 219(3), pages 383-399.
    18. Anja Soboll & Michael Elbers & Roland Barthel & Juergen Schmude & Andreas Ernst & Ralf Ziller, 2011. "Integrated regional modelling and scenario development to evaluate future water demand under global change conditions," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 477-498, April.
    19. Silva, Cecília & Patatas, Tiago & Amante, Ana, 2017. "Evaluating the usefulness of the structural accessibility layer for planning practice – Planning practitioners’ perception," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 137-149.
    20. Bertacchini, Enrico & Grazzini, Jakob & Vallino, Elena, 2013. "Emergence and Evolution of Property Rights: an Agent Based Perspective," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201340, University of Turin.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:21:y:2007:i:7:p:1049-1074. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.