Navigating Responsible Water Modeling in the Wake of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of modeling in guiding decision-making for governments and society, and the significant influence that modelers hold, especially during times of crisis. Water modelers may also encounter similar situations where their models are caught up in political debates, shaping people's everyday lives. 

This paper discusses the cultural and professional norms around water modeling practice that need to be established or revisited in order to make modeling work more responsible, through a review of models developed for COVID-19. It introduces six areas of study for "responsible water modeling" that can advance future theoretical and practical discussions on the topic: (1) building a common appreciation of the concept of responsibility, (2) interactions between science and policy, (3) the influence of boundary judgments on the model's outcome, (4) the politics of uncertainty, (5) stakeholder involvement, and (6) integration and coordination

The paper suggests that by focusing on these subjects, the fundamental principles and characteristics of responsible modeling can be established in order to address and respond to water challenges while also serving the public good.