Using decision support for water quality improvement planning: the CAPER DSS

Abstract

Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIP) are an ecosystem-based approach to integrated water cycle management. They aim to integrate the best available science for decision making coupled with a strong participatory approach. A WQIP is a comprehensive plan for water quality protection and improvement in the face of pressures from future development. Plan recommendations are developed in consultation with the community to ensure they are feasible, cost effective and will achieve the environmental outcomes required. This paper describes the Catchment Planning and Estuary Response (CAPER) Decision Support System (DSS) which has been designed to support the development of these plans. To date this approach has been or is in the process of being used in the development of ten water quality improvement plans. CAPER integrates metamodels of more detailed catchment and receiving water quality models such as the Source Catchments model, MUSIC model and DELPH-3D model with other empirical and literature based approaches to allow testing of the impact of alternative future land use and land management options. An easy-to-use interface has been developed to allow development of scenarios and exploration of the impacts of alternative options. This paper describes the generic CAPER approach and its application to developing WQIPs for several case studies in the Northern Territory, NSW and Tasmania.