Publications Published in Environmental Modelling & Software

1. An integrated modelling framework for simulating regional-scale actor responses to global change in the water domain. Barthel, R.; Janisch, S.; Schwarz, N.; Trifkovic, A.; Nickel, D.; Schulz, C.; Mauser, W..
   Environmental Modelling & Software: 2008
   Notes
   Within coupled hydrological simulation systems, taking socio-economic processes into account is still a challenging task. In particular, systems that aim at evaluating impacts of climatic change on large spatial and temporal scales cannot be based on the assumption that infrastructure, economy, demography and other human factors remain constant while physical boundary conditions change. Therefore, any meaningful simulation of possible future scenarios needs to enable socio-economic systems to react and to adapt to climatic changes. To achieve this it is necessary to simulate decision-making processes of the relevant actors in a way which is adequate for the scale, the catchment specific management problems to be investigated and finally the data availability. This contribution presents the DEEPACTOR approach for representing such human decision processes, which makes use of a multi-actor simulation framework and has similarities to agent-based approaches. This DEEPACTOR approach is embedded in DANUBIA, a coup d simulation system comprising 16 individual models to simulate Global Change impacts on the entire water cycle of the Upper Danube Catchment (Germany, 77,000 km2). The applicability of DANUBIA and in particular the DEEPACTOR approach for treating the socio-economic part of the water cycle in a process-based way is demonstrated by means of concrete simulation models of the water supply sector and of the domestic water users. Results from scenario simulations are used to demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of the approach.
   
   
   
2. Model integration for assessing future hydroclimate impacts on water resources, agricultural production and environmental quality in the San Joaquin Basin, California. Quinn, N. W. T.; Brekke, L. D.; Miller, N. L.; Heinzer, T.; Hidalgo, H.; Dracup, J. A..
   Environmental Modelling & Software: 2004
   Notes
   The US National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change provides compelling arguments for action and adaptive measures to help mitigate water resource, agricultural production and environmental quality impacts of future climate change. National resource planning at this scale can benefit by the development of integrated impact analysis toolboxes that allow linkage and integration of hydroclimate models, surface and groundwater hydrologic models, economic and environmental impact models and techniques for social impact assessment. Simulation models used in an assessment of climate change impacts on water resources, agriculture and environmental quality in the San Joaquin Basin of California are described in this paper as well as the challenges faced in linking the component models within an impacts assessment toolbox. Results from simulations performed with several of the tools in the impacts assessment toolbox are presented and discussed. After initially attempting model integration with the public domain, GIS-based modeling framework Modular Modeling System/Object User Interface (MMS/OUI), frustration with the framework’s lack of flexibility to handle monthly timestep models prompted development of a common geodatabase to allow linkage of model input and output for the linked simulation models. A GIS-based data browser was also developed that works with both network flow models and makes calls to a model post- processor that shows model output for each selected node in each model network. This data and output browser system is flexible and can readily accommodate future changes in the model network configuration and in the model database.