118-0112-00L  Participatory and Integrated Water Resources Planning

SemesterSpring Semester 2016
LecturersA. Castelletti
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentNumber of participants limited to 25.

The course is complementary to "Water Resources Management" (102-0488-00L).



Courses

NumberTitleHoursLecturers
118-0112-00 VParticipatory and Integrated Water Resources Planning Special students and auditors need a special permission from the lecturers.
Permission from lecturers required for all students.
3 hrs
Thu14:45-16:30HCI J 8 »
Fri09:45-11:30HCI D 4 »
03.03.14:45-16:30HCI J 8 »
04.03.09:45-11:30HCI D 4 »
12:45-14:30HIL E 6 »
A. Castelletti

Catalogue data

AbstractThe course develops basic knowledge and skills for modelling, planning and managing water resources systems in a balanced and sustainable way. The emphasis will be on the operational aspects of water management, including: introduction to participatory decision-making, modelling of the multiple stakes and socio-economic processes, introduction to dynamic and stochastic optimization approaches.
ObjectiveThe course aims at illustrating the complex framework of participatory approach in the field of water resources projects, with particular focus on the modelling of the quantitative aspects of the combined dynamics of the physical and socio-economic processes.
ContentLec 00. Course introduction. The world water resources. Water crisis and the concept of Participatory and Integrated Water Resources Management (PIWRM). Water trading.

Lec 01. Rationalizing the decision-making process. From traditional water resources planning and management to PIWRM: rationalizing and supporting the decision-making process. The need for negotiations. Negotiation game.
Outline of the Participatory and Integrated Planning procedure proposed as a guidance to the decision-making process using a real world case study.

Lec 02. Cloosing the loop: how to plan the management. How to incorporate recurrent management decisions into a rational decision-making framework. From model based decision-making to decision support systems. Full-rationality and partial-rationality. Underlying example the Zambezi river system.

Lec 03. Actions and evaluation criteria. Identification of the actions suitable to pursue the overall objective of the planning exercise. Type of actions and associated property. Embedding actions into models. Stakeholders, sectors and evaluation criteria: how stakeholders evaluate the planning alternatives. Criterion hierarchy and indicators: operationalize evaluation criteria.

Lec 04. Criteria and indicators. Example of indicators. Validation of the indicators against the stakeholders. Numerical exercise. Underlying examples from Red River System (Vietnam), Tono dam (Japan), Googong reservoir (Australia), Lake Maggiore and Lake Como (Italy).

Lec 05. Re-operating the Kafue reservoir system. Real world case study developed interactively with the students, to experience all the concepts provided in the previous lectures. Reading material will be assigned on 22.3

Lec 06. Models of a water system. The system analysis perspective on water resources modelling. Example of models of water system components (reservoir, diversion dam, rivers, users). Implications of cooperation and information sharing on the model formulation. Operational implications of model complexity. Case studies.

Lec 07. Formulation of the planning/management problem. Why we need it. What do we need to formulate the problem: from the indicators to the objectives; time horizon; scenarios. Dealing with uncertainty. Problem formulation and classification. How do modelling choices affect the final solution (hidden subjectivity).

Lec 08. Water resources optimal planning. The planning of water resources. Examples from real world problems at different scales (e.g. Egypt Water plan; Controlling salt intrusion in Nauru (Pacific Island); planning water quality remediation interventions in lakes and reservoirs (Googong reservoir, Australia)). Interactive lectures with students. Overview of the different approaches available to resolve the problem, from exact solution to heuristic.

Lec 09. Planning the New Valley water system in Egypt. Real world case study developed interactively with the student, to experience all the concepts provided in the previous lectures.

Lec 10. Planning in non stationary conditions: the Red River (Vietnam). Real world case study developed interactively with the student, to experience all the concepts provided in the previous lectures.
Lecture notesCourse lectures are almost fully covered by the following two textbooks accordingly to the indications provided at the end of each lecture:

R. Soncini-Sessa, A. Castelletti, and E. Weber, 2007. Integrated and participatory water resources management. Theory. Elsevier, The Netherlands.

R. Soncini-Sessa, F. Cellina, F. Pianosi, and E. Weber, 2007. Integrated and participatory water resources management. Practice. Elsevier, The Netherlands.
LiteratureAdditional readings:
S.P. Simonovic, 2009. Managing water resources: Methods and tools for a systems approach, Earthscan, London.
D.P. Loucks, E. van Beek, 2005. Water Resources Systems Planning and Management: An Introduction to Methods, Models and Applications, UNESCO, Paris.
K.D.W. Nandalal, J. Bogardi, 2007. Dynamic Programming Based Operation of Reservoirs, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Prerequisites / NoticeLecture notes, slides and other material will be posted on the course web page the day before each lecture.

Performance assessment

Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
ECTS credits3 credits
ExaminersA. Castelletti
Typeend-of-semester examination
Language of examinationEnglish
RepetitionA repetition date will be offered in the first two weeks of the semester immediately consecutive.
Additional information on mode of examinationThe examinations will take place by appointment: 30 minutes per candidate.
Exam dates: May 19, 2016 and May 20, 2016.

Learning materials

No public learning materials available.
Only public learning materials are listed.

Groups

No information on groups available.

Restrictions

General : Special students and auditors need a special permission from the lecturers
Permission from lecturers required for all students
Places25 at the most
PriorityRegistration for the course unit is until 31.01.2016 only possible for the primary target group
Primary target groupMAS ETH in Sustainable Water Resources (118000)
Waiting listuntil 26.02.2016

Offered in

ProgrammeSectionType
MAS in Sustainable Water ResourcesCompulsory CoursesOInformation
Science, Technology, and Policy MasterElectivesWInformation
Environmental Engineering MasterMinorsWInformation