Water Management

Water Management Question 3: Water Management You work with water managers in" rel="nofollow">in Washin" rel="nofollow">ington State who are in" rel="nofollow">in charge of decidin" rel="nofollow">ing the timin" rel="nofollow">ing and amount of water releases from a reservoir. The possible La Ni?a event this year could impact water availability in" rel="nofollow">in the region, and you are monitorin" rel="nofollow">ing resources here. Current water levels are within" rel="nofollow">in the normal range of historic levels. The reservoir is in" rel="nofollow">in a dry area. It is recharged in" rel="nofollow">in summer by snowmelt from the mountain" rel="nofollow">ins. Multiple parties benefit from releasin" rel="nofollow">ing water at different times: ? Flood control authorities favor releases in" rel="nofollow">in the sprin" rel="nofollow">ing, sin" rel="nofollow">ince they make room for summer in" rel="nofollow">inflow in" rel="nofollow">into the reservoir from snowmelt. ? The owners and managers of farms in" rel="nofollow">in the valley favor releases in" rel="nofollow">in the summer, sin" rel="nofollow">ince they use the water to irrigate crops. ? The hydropower authorities want some releases throughout the year to produce electricity, but they want more in" rel="nofollow">in the summer to meet the peak demand for air conditionin" rel="nofollow">ing. ? The local residents like water levels to be constant in" rel="nofollow">in the summer for recreational use at the reservoir, for swimmin" rel="nofollow">ing and boatin" rel="nofollow">ing. ? The staff of the wildlife agencies and the people who run tour companies for fly fishermen prefer steady releases throughout the year to main" rel="nofollow">intain" rel="nofollow">in cool water temperatures for the fish. The team is considerin" rel="nofollow">ing releasin" rel="nofollow">ing more water to hydropower in" rel="nofollow">in late summer (September) to avoid purchasin" rel="nofollow">ing electricity from a coal-fired power plant. You work for a small consultin" rel="nofollow">ing firm, and are biddin" rel="nofollow">ing to conduct a cost benefit analysis for this decision. Write a 500 to 750-word memo to the water manager, in" rel="nofollow">indicatin" rel="nofollow">ing your proposed analysis. Consider the followin" rel="nofollow">ing questions: ? Who are the stakeholders in" rel="nofollow">in this watershed? ? What benefits need to be calculated? ? What costs need to be calculated? ? What risk and/or uncertain" rel="nofollow">inty calculations should be in" rel="nofollow">included in" rel="nofollow">in your analysis? ? How would forecast in" rel="nofollow">information (near and long-term) be helpful in" rel="nofollow">in this decision? ? What aspects of this decision cannot be captured by a cost benefit analysis? ? You know a powerful local politician is an avid fly fisherman. Can this be in" rel="nofollow">incorporated in" rel="nofollow">in your cost benefit analysis? How could this impact the water manager?s decision? For guidance on writin" rel="nofollow">ing a memo, review the material in" rel="nofollow">in this lin" rel="nofollow">ink https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/36824/11-479Sprin" rel="nofollow">ing-2004/NR/rdonlyres/Urban-Studies-and-Plannin" rel="nofollow">ing/11-479Sprin" rel="nofollow">ing-2004/9CE4ACA2-EC3D-4C1D-91CC-27971E27DCF5/0/pmwritin" rel="nofollow">ing.pdf?