Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2023_SD_Geza

A scalable decision support tool (s-DST) for equitable water resources allocation and management under projected climate

Institute: South Dakota
USGS Grant Number:
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2024-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $310,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $310,000

Principal Investigators: Mengistu (Stu) Geza

Project Summary: Water allocation decisions should be made with a holistic view of sustainability, recognizing the interdependence and trade-offs between economic, social, and environmental objectives. This requires integrated water resources management approaches to balance these objectives. The proposed holistic s-DST framework accounts for (i) economic efficiency while minimizing negative impacts on other dimensions of sustainability; (ii) social equity to ensure that scarce water resources are allocated fairly and sustainably, and the needs and rights of all users are considered. This will include prioritizing the needs of vulnerable communities, particularly lowincome and Indigenous communities in MRB and promoting participatory decision-making processes that directly involve all stakeholders, and (iii) environmental sustainability, including the protection and enhancement of riverine ecosystems. The s-DST will help stakeholders in MRB to analyze scenarios and identify options to reduce the economic, social, and environmental impact of climate change. The approaches developed in this study are applicable other basins.