Water Resources Simulation and Optimization: a Web Based Approach

Water resources are one of the limiting factors of regional development around the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean. Scarcity and conflict, but also considerable uncertainty, inter-annual variability, and simple lack of reliable data characterize the problems of water resource management in many countries and river basins. Within the EU sponsored international RTD project OPTIMA a water resources optimization system is being developed that addresses a broad range of objectives and criteria. A web based client-server implementation supports distributed use and easy access, providing considerable server side computing power for distributed web browser clients. This architecture supports a participatory approach involving local stake holders for multi-criteria optimisation and decision support. The multi-criteria optimization approach covers global and sectoral demand and supply balances, reliability of supply, cost and benefits, as well as compliance with water quality standards. Arbitrary penalty functions can be used for the valuation of missing targets, both shortfalls of supply as well as excess (flooding or pollution), or exceeding water quality standards. The approach and methodology are demonstrated using the case studies of the OPTIMA project that demonstrate the entire range of prototypical water management problems in the region, and their potential solutions.