A Decision Support Tool For Water Pollution and Eutrophication Prevention In Groundwater-dependent Shallow Lakes From Periurban Areas Based On The DPSIR Framework

ROMANELLI A.; LIMA M.L.; ONDARZA P.; ESQUIUS K.; MASSONE H.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

SPRINGER

Año: 2021 vol. 68 p. 393 - 410

0364-152X

The deterioration of water quality worldwide is a serious environmental problem.Water managers still need operational toolsto assess water issues and to inform water planning and decision-making. The aim of this article is to propose a 3-stepmethodological framework for assessing water pollution problems by combining a conceptual modeling tool (DPSIR) withthe development of a quantitative model (Multi-Criteria Decision Model). This contribution provides a practical and flexibleevaluation tool for conducting an integrated assessment of eutrophication and agrochemicals delivered to groundwaterdependentshallow lakes. It lays out action guidelines for decision-making environmental managers within the context ofintermediate cities in developing countries. Forty-one indicators were identified to characterize the D-P-S-I compartmentsand for the multi-criteria model conceptualization. In this work, response options analysis consisted of evaluating andchoosing water management instruments via a decision support tool. Two lake watersheds located in the peri-urban of twomiddle-size cities, in Argentina, were chosen to illustrate this methodological approach. The ensuing results allowedestablishing a ranking of areas to prioritize, identifying a criteria and sub-criteria to focus on in order to set out actionguidelines to minimize water pollution and eutrophication. These action guidelines are urgently needed in emergingcountries, where financial, human resources and infrastructure are limited. The scarcity of such causes importantimplications regarding policy solutions for environmental issues. The implemented decision support tool in both lakewatersheds provided a common basis for the understanding of the ongoing water pollution problems and a quantitativeranking (i.e., decision scores) for defining specific actions (responses) for human-induced stresses on such natural systems.