The implementation of an environmental decision-making support system : the Mooi River Catchment as a case study

Abstract

The aim of the study is to create an interactive, real time environmental decision making support system for broad spectrum applications using public domain software that is affordable, and adaptable to the majority of water managers in South Africa. No formal evaluation and review of environmental decision making support systems exist in South Africa. The study contributes to the advancement of science in that the literature is reviewed to determine the relevance of environmental decision making support systems in South Africa. From the insight obtained from the literature review, an environmental decision making support system for a specific South African catchment is developed and implemented. The system needs to provide a tool for integrated catchment management to facilitate 'best practice' management. Aspects which have been included concern the complexity of water resources, integrated catchment management approaches, factors influencing the water resource, policy frameworks and the water law. In order to achieve these aims, an extensive theoretical understanding of water resource management, integrated catchment management and decision support systems was required. Insight into the broad spectrum of applications and the complexity of the water resource problem was determined. On this basis, the relevant water users were defined and the factors affecting the water resource ascertained. The process and development of integrated catchment management are discussed in relation to the role they play in future water management in South Africa, taking into account policy frameworks and principles applicable to South Africa. The theoretical framework, thus far, has been concerned primarily with water resources, processes and policies associated with the resource. Henceforth, the development and design of decision support systems are appraised and the implementation of an interactive, real time environmental decision making support system determined. In order to determine whether an environmental decision making support system can be developed and customised for river catchments as a tool for integrated catchment management to facilitate 'best management' practices, an interactive, real time environmental decision making support system is devised and evaluated by means of a case study in the Mooi River Catchment. An empirical interactive, real time environmental decision making support system using public domain software for the Mooi River Catchment is available for viewing and interaction on the Internet at the site http://www.ccwr.ac.za.

The results of the study show that the creation of an interactive, real time environmental decision making support system is possible to facilitate the integrated catchment management approach using public domain software. Customisation of the environmental decision making support system is possible for river catchment. The environmental decision making support system for the Mooi River Catchment is operational and creates a new way to structure and involve researchers, stakeholders, specialists and managers in environmental management in the Mooi River Catchment. Results highlight the environmental decision making support systems ability to operate within the Mooi River Catchment and provide a means to manage the environmental resources. The Hydrological Simulation Programme - Fortran (HSPF) is capable of simulating the continuous, dynamic nature of the hydrological regime and water quality processes of the complex Mooi River Catchment. While the Watershed Data Management (WDM) supplies a data warehouse facility and a systematic approach to the storage and retrieval of data. The establishment of an environmental database to be used and customised in the Integrated Catchment Information System (ICIS) provides a Graphic User Interface (GUI) through which spatial time series characteristics of the data can be viewed. Implementation of the environmental decision making support system in the Mooi River Catchment case study provides a prototype environmental decision making support system that can be used as a protocol by Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs) for the implementation of integrated catchment management around the country.