Framing Water Sustainability in an Environmental Decision Support System

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    16 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    This case study applies the theoretical concepts of frame and framing processes to identify and describe the diagnostic and prognostic frames for water sustainability expressed through an environmental decision support system. The research examines the development of WaterSim, a computer simulation model of water supply and demand in central Arizona. Qualitative data were generated through semistructured individual and group interviews, participant observations, and document analysis. The analysis identified a diagnostic frame defining the water sustainability problem as uncertain and long-term water supply shortage caused by prolonged drought, climate change impacts, and population growth. The prognostic frame for water sustainability defined the solutions to be urban residential water demand management, retirement of agricultural lands, and conversion of agricultural water to municipal uses to achieve safe yield of groundwater. The results of the study are discussed in terms of implications for decision support systems (DSS) design.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)1365-1373
    Number of pages9
    JournalSociety and Natural Resources
    Volume26
    Issue number11
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Nov 2013

    Keywords

    • Arizona
    • climate change
    • modeling
    • water resources management

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Development
    • Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
    • Sociology and Political Science

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Framing Water Sustainability in an Environmental Decision Support System'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this