Hydro-economic Model of South Florida's Water Resources

Hydro-economic optimization modeling is applied to aid in framing a new process for managing water resources in south Florida, allowing for an explicit representation of the trade-offs between socio-economic and ecological services provided by the system. A network-based model of south Florida's water resources system incorporates the value of water use in agricultural and urban sectors, as well as economic damages due to flooding. The model also accounts for the value of meeting environmental flow targets to sustain ecosystem functions, for example, in the Everglades. Results of this screening-level model facilitate quantitative analysis and provide insights for long-term adaptive management strategies. Water allocations generated under different land use, climate, and water demand scenarios are geo-visualized to engage policy makers and stakeholders in order to facilitate consensus on water resources management objectives and planning horizons.