Participatory Model Calibration for Improving Resource Management Systems: Case Study of Rainwater Harvesting in an Indian Village
01 Sep 2015-Journal of The American Water Resources Association (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (10.1111))-Vol. 51, Iss: 6, pp 1708-1721
TL;DR: A participatory framework to identify criteria and their weights are used as parameters to develop a quantitative model for evaluating efficiency of each resource management system and can be used to plan other resource management systems in various regions.
Abstract: While planning resource management systems in rural areas, it is important to consider criteria that are specific to the local social conditions. Such criteria might change from one region to another and are hence best identified using a participatory approach. In this work, we propose a participatory framework to identify such criteria and derive their weights. These identified criteria and their weights are used as parameters to develop a quantitative model for evaluating efficiency of each system. Such a model can serve as a support tool for stakeholders to simulate and analyze “what-if” scenarios, evaluate alternatives, and select one which best satisfies their requirements. We use existing systems to test the model by comparing efficiencies evaluated by the model to efficiencies perceived by the stakeholders. The model is calibrated by repeating the process until statistically significant correlation is achieved between evaluated and perceived efficiencies. The novelty of the proposed framework lies in treating efficiencies perceived by the stakeholders as the ground truth since they know these systems well and are their ultimate users. The framework is successfully demonstrated using case study of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in an Indian village. The resulting calibrated model can be used to plan new RWH systems in this region and similar regions elsewhere. The framework can be used to plan other resource management systems in various regions.
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University of Twente1, University of Technology, Sydney2, United States Geological Survey3, Michigan State University4, Indian Institutes of Information Technology5, University of California, Riverside6, University of Maryland, College Park7, University of Illinois at Chicago8, Rutgers University9, American Museum of Natural History10, Furman University11, Leibniz Association12, University of New South Wales13, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill14, Masaryk University15, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis16, Portland State University17, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education18
TL;DR: Putting more thought into the method selection process and choosing the most appropriate method for the project can produce better results, according to expert opinion and a survey of modelers engaged in participatory processes.
Abstract: Various tools and methods are used in participatory modelling, at different stages of the process and for different purposes. The diversity of tools and methods can create challenges for stakeholders and modelers when selecting the ones most appropriate for their projects. We offer a systematic overview, assessment, and categorization of methods to assist modelers and stakeholders with their choices and decisions. Most available literature provides little justification or information on the reasons for the use of particular methods or tools in a given study. In most of the cases, it seems that the prior experience and skills of the modelers had a dominant effect on the selection of the methods used. While we have not found any real evidence of this approach being wrong, we do think that putting more thought into the method selection process and choosing the most appropriate method for the project can produce better results. Based on expert opinion and a survey of modelers engaged in participatory processes, we offer practical guidelines to improve decisions about method selection at different stages of the participatory modeling process.
236 citations
Cites background from "Participatory Model Calibration for..."
..., 2013), medians (Kolagani et al., 2015), and even the geometric mean (Saengsupavanich, 2013) have been proposed....
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...Emphasis was placed on the use of simple calculations and visualizations to plan and implement rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems (Kolagani et al., 2015) and other solutions that were found most appropriate to the situation....
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TL;DR: An easy-to-use mobile and web based, free and open source PP-GIS solution, Watershed GIS, was developed and scored better than the three existing solutions and its usage resulted in substantial reduction of variability in criteria values and thus better ranking of alternatives.
Abstract: Participatory approaches elicit information from multiple stakeholders while planning and implementing resource management systems. Such elicited information is often associated with significant variability. Public participation geographical information science GIS PP-GIS solutions can reduce this variability by helping stakeholders to measure the factors involved and provide the elicited information. We propose a ‘Quality Function Deployment’-based participatory framework for developing such PP-GIS solutions. It is demonstrated using a case study to enhance an existing PP-GIS into a solution for rainwater harvesting systems in Indian villages. The novelty of the proposed framework is that it identifies metrics and carries out comparative analysis of three existing solutions: participatory rural appraisal, participatory mapping and PP-GIS. In the case study, PP-GIS scored less than participatory mapping as it scored less on usability and affordability. To improve PP-GIS in these aspects, an easy-to-use mobile and web based, free and open source PP-GIS solution, Watershed GIS, was developed. It scored better than the three existing solutions and its usage resulted in substantial reduction of variability in criteria values and thus better ranking of alternatives, with the average coefficient of variation decreasing from 0.12 to 0.05.
9 citations
Cites background or methods from "Participatory Model Calibration for..."
...…identify criteria and their weights in the participatory D ow nl oa de d by [ U ni ve rs ity o f E xe te r] a t 0 7: 55 2 0 Ju ly 2 01 6 model calibration framework (Kolagani et al. 2015), the proposed framework gathers from stakeholders their requirements for estimating criteria values....
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...model calibration framework (Kolagani et al. 2015), the proposed framework gathers from stakeholders their requirements for estimating criteria values....
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...As the number of stakeholders surveyed was small, to account for outliers, median (Kolagani et al. 2015) was preferred to mean (Tian et al. 2013)....
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...Rankings perceived by the stakeholders are treated as the reference, since they know these systems well and are their ultimate users (Kolagani et al. 2015)....
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...As the number of stakeholders surveyed was small, to account for outliers, median (Kolagani et al. 2015) was preferred to mean (Tian et al....
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TL;DR: In this article, a literature review, participatory rural appraisal, and semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the causes of sedimentation in small-scale irrigation in Ethiopia.
Abstract: Irrigated agriculture, particularly small-scale irrigation (SSI), is a mainstay for sustainable livelihoods in the developing world. In Ethiopia, SSI sustainability is threatened mainly due to excessive sedimentation. Stakeholders’ perceptions of the causes of sedimentation and how they sustain SSI under excessive sedimentation conditions were investigated in two SSI schemes in Ethiopia. A participatory rapid diagnosis and action planning was implemented, consisting of a literature review, participatory rural appraisal, and semi-structured interviews. Results show that farmers slightly differed in perception of excessive sedimentation drivers. Farmers reported design problems as the main cause of excessive sedimentation (64%), followed by poor operation and maintenance (O and M) practices (21%) and external factors (15%). In contrast, 62% of the interviewed engineers indicated erosion and irrigation technologies as the main causes of excessive sedimentation, while few reported poor design (13%). In addition to an intensive desilting campaign, farmers delayed the start of the irrigation season to avoid the intake of highly sedimented water. Local social capital and knowledge appeared to be more important than formal knowledge and blue-print institutions for dealing with sedimentation problems. Well-organized structure and extra time devoted by famers were vital for SSI sustainability. Integration of the farmers’ knowledge with that of the engineers could yield more effective ways to deal with sedimentation problems.
7 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , a participatory monitoring program was used to investigate sediment causes and sources, measure the annual sediment load, and monitor desilting campaigns in two small scale irrigation schemes in Ethiopia, Arata-Chufa (100 ha) and Ketar (430 ha).
3 citations
24 Jun 2020
TL;DR: In this article, a model of systems dynamics for decision-making in the evaluation and prioritization of green projects, based on the dynamics of variables such as the supply and demand of natural water resources and of the soil and likewise, with the participation of the inhabitants through the methodology of participatory modeling.
Abstract: This research framed in the context of the post-conflict in Colombia, presents a model of systems dynamics for decision-making in the evaluation and prioritization of green projects, based on the dynamics of variables such as the supply and demand of natural water resources and of the soil and likewise, with the participation of the inhabitants through the methodology of participatory modeling. The results obtained through this model of sustainable development show that it is not only possible to control the natural resources of water and soil by creating an alert called reserve margin, but also it is possible to maximize investments in social, environmental or economic projects, previously prioritized through the “citizen factor”, so that they certainly respond to the needs or expectations of the community involved.
2 citations
Cites background from "Participatory Model Calibration for..."
...[17] N. Kolagani, P. Ramu, and K. Varghese, “Participatory Model Calibration for Improving Resource Management Systems: Case Study of Rainwater Harvesting in an Indian Village,” vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 1708–1721, 2015....
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...Por otro lado, y como lo expresan Kolagani, Ramu y Varghese [17], es posible evidenciar que cada comunidad posee diversas cualidades y está expuesta a diferentes factores, así mismo, sus problemáticas, necesidades y expectativas difieren según su ubicación, sus recursos ambientales y económicos, su desarrollo social e incluso en la atención dada por el gobierno de turno....
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References
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: In arid Tunisia, a tabia system is a traditional macrocatchment water harvesting system, which consists of a runoff area, which occupies two thirds of the slope arid is traditionally used for grazing; and one to five cropped plots within U-shaped soil banks arranged in a cascade in the third downstream area as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In arid Tunisia, a tabia system is a traditional macrocatchment water harvesting system. It consists of a runoff area, which occupies two thirds of the slope arid is traditionally used for grazing; and one to five cropped plots within U-shaped soil banks arranged in a cascade in the third downstream area. These "run-on" areas accumulate and store the occasional runoff. Each soil bank is constructed with a discharge weir that allows modification of the flooded area and discharge of excess water towards downstream plots. Such a harvesting system, located in an area with 140 turn annual rainfall, was instrumented during four hydrological years (1995-1999) and 45 rainfall events were recorded. Eleven of these events gave a measurable inflow to at least one of the four plots. The observations showed that the traditional tabia system reduced total surface runoff from the catchment to essentially zero. The harvesting system significantly reduced peaks of surface runoff within the catchment, which also reduced erosion hazards. The cultivated area of about 5% of the total catchment could be supplied by a harvested water amount corresponding to about seven times the amount of each rainfall event larger than 20 mm. (Less)
38 citations
TL;DR: The analysis framework presented here was effective in identifying expert preferences regarding the overall structure and emphasis in coastal management programs and can be applied towards coastal policy development.
37 citations
"Participatory Model Calibration for..." refers background in this paper
...While arithmetic mean (Ryu et al., 2011; Tian et al., 2013) can also be used to aggregate these weights, median is preferred when the number of stakeholders is typically small....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a user friendly Spatial Expert Support System (SESS) was developed for identifying suitable sites for water harvesting structures such as check dams, farm ponds, and groundwater recharge tanks.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to make a user friendly Spatial Expert Support System (SESS) for identifying suitable sites for water harvesting structures such as check dams, farm ponds, and groundwater recharge tanks. The developed system has been used to identify potential sites for water harvesting in the Song watershed, India. Basic input layers required for this study such as a digital elevation model, landuse, soils, drainage, geology, and buffer map for utility points were generated in a geographic information system (GIS). Technical guidelines suggested by the Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD), and the Indian National Committee on Hydrology (INCOH), have been used as decision rules in the knowledge base shell of the developed SESS. Monthly water balance has been estimated using remote sensing and GIS techniques to augment the proposed water harvesting structures. The knowledge base can suitably be modified as and when required on the basis of other expert knowledge if found ...
35 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors found that wealth, literacy, household and village size are often determinants of participation in community-based development projects and that participation leads to benefits for the households that participate although these benefits are strongest in regions with higher levels of overall participation.
Abstract: Using data from households in 45 villages in rural India, this paper finds that wealth, literacy, household and village size are often determinants of two measures of participation in community-based development projects: meeting attendance and capital cost contributions. Using propensity score matching, this study concludes that participation leads to benefits for the households that participate although these benefits are strongest in regions with higher levels of overall participation. This study finds no evidence of elite capture with both poor and wealthy households benefiting from their participation.
32 citations
"Participatory Model Calibration for..." refers background or result in this paper
...This observation agrees with existing literature on the need for public participation to ensure sustainability of rural water systems (Prokopy, 2005, 2009; Whittington et al., 2009)....
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...Such participation also leads to material, solidarity and/or expressive incentives (Prokopy, 2009), and a sense of ownership among the stakeholders (Marks and Davis, 2012)....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the example of groundwater protection in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, is used to illustrate how collaborative approaches can facilitate the integration of scientific and community beliefs and values.
Abstract: Source water protection (SWP) efforts in many jurisdictions focus primarily on protecting municipal groundwater wells through a highly technical process known as wellhead protection planning (WHPP). Less attention has been given to implementing a broader approach for protecting groundwater supplies both within and outside municipal wellhead protection areas through stewardship and other approaches that engage diverse stakeholders. Technical approaches to drinking-water safety are necessary, but increasingly it is recognized that they are not sufficient in the context of a complex problem such as groundwater protection. There is growing recognition globally that solutions to complex problems require decision-making processes that involve the integration of expert science, local knowledge and community beliefs and values. In this paper, the example of groundwater protection in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, is used to illustrate how collaborative approaches can facilitate the integration of scientific and...
28 citations