Fostering integrated water resource management coupling airGRiwrm hydrological model and agent-based modeling (NetLogo)

Water scarcity has become an increasingly problematic issue due to the intensifying effects of climate change (e.g., rising temperatures, precipitation pattern change) and to the growing demands (e.g., population growth, economic development, intensive farming and industrial activities).  Ensuring equitable water allocation is therefore becoming a major concern for stakeholders (e.g., managers, companies, citizens and local authorities).

To address these challenges, we are using the concept of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).  This aims to incorporate both the physical and social dimensions of water management.  IWRM is a “process that promotes coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems” (GWP, 2000).

However, linking the physical and social dimensions of water management within a IWRM framework is always challenging.  We have been exploring the potential of coupling two quantitative models in order to bridge this gap.  One model is the AirGRiwrm hydrological model (Dorchies et al., 2021), built on the R-package airGR with new features to integrate human uses and regulations into simulated river flows.  The other model is NetLogo, a programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) for Agent-Based Modeling (ABM); it can be used to model and simulate complex natural and social interactions.

Within the scope of modeling and simulation, we think that this model coupling can be used to bridge the gap between physical modeling and social simulation for IWRM. On the one hand, Role Playing Games used in our community as models of IWRM systems lack of quantitative robustness. On the other hand, airGR models are calibrated on data easy to validate. Agent-Based Models seems to be the right tool to combine both approaches.

This presentation focuses on a case study: the anthropized Basse Vallée de l’Hérault (France) located in the Hérault catchment. We present the development process of coupling of AirGRiwrm and NetLogo and how it allows us to simulate concrete scenarios, such as water allocation among competing stakeholders on this case study. We outline in our discussion to what extend the AirGRiwrm-Logo model coupling can be used in hybrid approaches combining participatory modeling based on role playing games and data driven hydrological modeling.

 

References:

Dorchies, D., Delaigue, O., and Thirel, G.: airGRiwrm: an extension of the airGR R-package for handling Integrated Water Resources Management modeling, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-2190, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2190, 2021.

Global Water Partnership (GWP). (2000). Integrated water resources management (TAC Background Papers No. 4). https://www.gwp.org/globalassets/global/toolbox/publications/background-papers/04-integrated-water-resources-management-2000-english.pdf