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Decision Support Indicators (DSIs) and their role in hydrological planning

Sörensen, Johanna Lykke LU ; Eisner, Stephanie ; Olsson, Jonas LU ; Beldring, Stein ; Carvalho, Vanessa S.B. ; Elenius, Maria ; Fragoso, Carlos Ruberto ; Hansen, Anna ; Hegdahl, Trine Jahr and Silva, Benedito C. , et al. (2024) In Environmental Science and Policy 157.
Abstract

Decision Support Indicators (DSIs) are metrics designed to inform local and regional stakeholders about the characteristics of a predicted (or ongoing) event to facilitate decision-making. In this paper, the DSI concept was developed to clarify the different aims of different kinds of indicators by naming them, and a framework was developed to describe and support the usage of such DSIs. The framework includes three kinds of DSI: hydroclimatic DSIs which are easy to calculate but hard to understand by non-experts; impact-based DSIs which are often difficult to calculate but easy to understand by non-experts; and event-based DSIs, which compare a current or projected state to a locally well-known historical event, where hydroclimatic and... (More)

Decision Support Indicators (DSIs) are metrics designed to inform local and regional stakeholders about the characteristics of a predicted (or ongoing) event to facilitate decision-making. In this paper, the DSI concept was developed to clarify the different aims of different kinds of indicators by naming them, and a framework was developed to describe and support the usage of such DSIs. The framework includes three kinds of DSI: hydroclimatic DSIs which are easy to calculate but hard to understand by non-experts; impact-based DSIs which are often difficult to calculate but easy to understand by non-experts; and event-based DSIs, which compare a current or projected state to a locally well-known historical event, where hydroclimatic and impact-based DSIs are currently mainly used. Tables and figures were developed to support the DSI development in collaboration with stakeholders. To develop and test the framework, seven case studies, representing different hydrological pressures on three continents (South America, Asia, and Europe), were carried out. The case studies span several temporal and spatial scales (hours-decades; 70–6,000 km2) as well as hydrological pressures (pluvial and riverine floods, drought, and water scarcity), representing different climate zones. Based on stakeholder workshops, DSIs were developed for these cases, which are used as examples of the conceptual framework. The adaptability of the DSI framework to this wide range of cases shows that the framework and related concepts are useful in many contexts.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Decision support, Extreme events, Hydrological pressure, Risk communication, Stakeholder involvement
in
Environmental Science and Policy
volume
157
article number
103768
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85192055377
ISSN
1462-9011
DOI
10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103768
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8a3f5c83-cc6f-4e26-96b6-3ebad9d69ef4
date added to LUP
2024-05-16 15:44:49
date last changed
2024-05-16 15:46:10
@article{8a3f5c83-cc6f-4e26-96b6-3ebad9d69ef4,
  abstract     = {{<p>Decision Support Indicators (DSIs) are metrics designed to inform local and regional stakeholders about the characteristics of a predicted (or ongoing) event to facilitate decision-making. In this paper, the DSI concept was developed to clarify the different aims of different kinds of indicators by naming them, and a framework was developed to describe and support the usage of such DSIs. The framework includes three kinds of DSI: hydroclimatic DSIs which are easy to calculate but hard to understand by non-experts; impact-based DSIs which are often difficult to calculate but easy to understand by non-experts; and event-based DSIs, which compare a current or projected state to a locally well-known historical event, where hydroclimatic and impact-based DSIs are currently mainly used. Tables and figures were developed to support the DSI development in collaboration with stakeholders. To develop and test the framework, seven case studies, representing different hydrological pressures on three continents (South America, Asia, and Europe), were carried out. The case studies span several temporal and spatial scales (hours-decades; 70–6,000 km<sup>2</sup>) as well as hydrological pressures (pluvial and riverine floods, drought, and water scarcity), representing different climate zones. Based on stakeholder workshops, DSIs were developed for these cases, which are used as examples of the conceptual framework. The adaptability of the DSI framework to this wide range of cases shows that the framework and related concepts are useful in many contexts.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sörensen, Johanna Lykke and Eisner, Stephanie and Olsson, Jonas and Beldring, Stein and Carvalho, Vanessa S.B. and Elenius, Maria and Fragoso, Carlos Ruberto and Hansen, Anna and Hegdahl, Trine Jahr and Silva, Benedito C. and Reboita, Michelle S. and Riondet-Costa, Daniela R.T. and Pons, Nívea A.D. and Uvo, Cintia B.}},
  issn         = {{1462-9011}},
  keywords     = {{Decision support; Extreme events; Hydrological pressure; Risk communication; Stakeholder involvement}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Science and Policy}},
  title        = {{Decision Support Indicators (DSIs) and their role in hydrological planning}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103768}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103768}},
  volume       = {{157}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}