Interfacing Stakeholder Involvement into a Surface Water-Quality Modelling System for Water Management and Policy Development

Abstract

Water quality has been under unprecedented pressure over the past few decades due, in part, to increasing nutrient pollution from cities, industrial zones and agricultural areas entering river systems. The dynamics of these impacts on water quality are complex and stem from decisions and activities of different groups of stakeholders, who can have different business plans, values and attitudes towards water quality. This means that, improving the quality of water requires incorporating stakeholders’ viewpoints and decisions into water quality management processes. This study proposes a modelling framework to engage stakeholders in selecting practices and policies that can improve riverine and lacustrine water quality.