Using Multiobjective Optimization to Inform Green Infrastructure Decisions as Part of Robust Integrated Water...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Resource Management
• Climate Change Adaptation

Background:

• Freshwater resource management faces significant challenges due to climate change and development uncertainties.
• Integrated and adaptive water management approaches offer flexibility but lack specific design guidance.
• Balancing multiple stakeholder objectives in water management requires robust planning strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a framework for strategically incorporating green infrastructure (GI) into water resource management plans.
• To maximize nutrient load reductions, minimize stormwater runoff, and minimize costs through optimized GI implementation.
• To evaluate the robustness of GI strategies under various plausible future climate scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Multi-objective optimization was employed to identify optimal GI configurations.
• Robust decision-making methods were applied to assess plan performance across different future conditions.
• A case study in southern Massachusetts focused on nutrient pollution in a developing watershed.

Main Results:

• Optimized GI implementation plans were generated, balancing competing objectives.
• Robust solutions were identified that perform well under a range of future climate and development scenarios.
• The study demonstrated the effectiveness of coupled optimization and robust decision-making for GI planning.

Conclusions:

• Integrated green infrastructure planning, guided by robust decision-making, is crucial for adaptive water resource management.
• This approach provides a flexible strategy for addressing uncertainty in freshwater resource management.
• The methods offer practical guidance for designing effective water quality improvement plans in developing watersheds.