SPONSOR:
National Institute for Water Resources, Water Resources Research Institute Program
PROJECT PERIOD:
3/1/2012 - 2/28/2013
ABSTRACT:
This research extended the traditional groundwater economics management model to include climate change and watershed conservation planning, and in doing so, improved assessments of the current and future states of groundwater scarcity on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Specifically, the framework explored the sensitivity of economically optimal water management to declining groundwater recharge, as well as recommended demand and supply-side management strategies to delay the substitution of groundwater extraction with costly alternatives such as desalination. While the assessment using data from Hawai‘i is valuable to local resource management agencies, the envisioned transferable methodology is also a useful tool for resource managers in other locales.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR