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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) often requires expertise from environmental assessors, hydrologists, economists, and others to analyze the benefits of regional and national policy decisions related to changes in water quality. This led the EPA to develop two models to form an integrated assessment model: HAWQS is a web-based water quantity and quality modeling system, and BenSPLASH is a modeling platform for quantifying the economic benefits of changes in water quality. This paper discusses the development of the component models and applies HAWQS and BenSPLASH to a case study in the Republican River basin. (JEL Q51, Q53)
Joel Corona; Todd Doley; Charles Griffiths; Matthew Massey; Chris Moore; Stephen Muela; Brenda Rashleigh; William Wheeler; Stephen D. Whitlock; Julie Hewitt. An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality Changes in the United States. Land Economics 2020, 96, 478 -492.
AMA StyleJoel Corona, Todd Doley, Charles Griffiths, Matthew Massey, Chris Moore, Stephen Muela, Brenda Rashleigh, William Wheeler, Stephen D. Whitlock, Julie Hewitt. An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality Changes in the United States. Land Economics. 2020; 96 (4):478-492.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoel Corona; Todd Doley; Charles Griffiths; Matthew Massey; Chris Moore; Stephen Muela; Brenda Rashleigh; William Wheeler; Stephen D. Whitlock; Julie Hewitt. 2020. "An Integrated Assessment Model for Valuing Water Quality Changes in the United States." Land Economics 96, no. 4: 478-492.
Climate change and freshwater quality are well-linked. Changes in climate result in changes in streamflow and rising water temperatures, which impact biochemical reaction rates and increase stratification in lakes and reservoirs. Using two water quality modeling systems (the Hydrologic and Water Quality System; HAWQS and US Basins), five climate models, and two greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation policies, we assess future water quality in the continental U.S. to 2100 considering four water quality parameters: water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. Once these parameters are aggregated into a water quality index, we find that, while the water quality models differ under the baseline, there is more agreement between future projections. In addition, we find that the difference in national-scale economic benefits across climate models is generally larger than the difference between the two water quality models. Both water quality models find that water quality will more likely worsen in the East than in the West. Under the business-as-usual emissions scenario, we find that climate change is likely to cause economic impacts ranging from 1.2 to 2.3 (2005 billion USD/year) in 2050 and 2.7 to 4.8 in 2090 across all climate and water quality models.
Charles Fant; Raghavan Srinivasan; Brent Boehlert; Lisa Rennels; Steven C. Chapra; Kenneth M. Strzepek; Joel Corona; Ashley Allen; Jeremy Martinich. Climate Change Impacts on US Water Quality Using Two Models: HAWQS and US Basins. Water 2017, 9, 118 .
AMA StyleCharles Fant, Raghavan Srinivasan, Brent Boehlert, Lisa Rennels, Steven C. Chapra, Kenneth M. Strzepek, Joel Corona, Ashley Allen, Jeremy Martinich. Climate Change Impacts on US Water Quality Using Two Models: HAWQS and US Basins. Water. 2017; 9 (2):118.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCharles Fant; Raghavan Srinivasan; Brent Boehlert; Lisa Rennels; Steven C. Chapra; Kenneth M. Strzepek; Joel Corona; Ashley Allen; Jeremy Martinich. 2017. "Climate Change Impacts on US Water Quality Using Two Models: HAWQS and US Basins." Water 9, no. 2: 118.