ESPRES: A web application for interactive analysis of multiple pressures in aquatic ecosystems

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Resource Management
• Decision Support Systems

Background:

• European freshwaters face significant anthropogenic pressures impacting water quantity and quality.
• Effective management strategies are needed to achieve environmental targets while considering socio-economic factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce ESPRES, a Decision Support System (DSS) for exploring and optimizing management options in European watersheds.
• To integrate multi-objective optimization and impact assessment models for informed decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing multi-objective optimization (MOO) algorithms to identify Pareto front strategies.
• Developing a web-based interface for stakeholder-driven scenario assessment.
• Employing European-scale models to assess environmental impacts on water flow and nutrient concentration.

Main Results:

• The MOO engine identifies trade-offs between environmental objectives and implementation effort.
• ESPRES quantifies environmental and socio-economic consequences of different management scenarios.
• Stakeholder perceptions of technical feasibility, political difficulty, and social acceptability are integrated.

Conclusions:

• ESPRES provides a robust framework for comparing management solutions and understanding inherent trade-offs.
• The tool supports informed decision-making for achieving environmental targets in European freshwaters.
• It facilitates a balanced approach to water resource management considering ecological and societal aspects.