Environmentally-sensitive water resources planning: II. A case study

The ENRES environmentally-sensitive water resources planning model is demonstrated in a case study covering the whole of England and Wales, thereby repeating the national planning exercise completed in 1994. Prior to running the model, all the components involved are environmentally assessed using Environment Agency personnel from different regions, by filling in a questionnaire for each scheme. Several model runs were undertaken in an attempt to find the best solution for the region. It was concluded that some £M 28.0 (in 1991 prices) of additional investment would be required if the plan based on environmental concerns were to be adopted. This premium can be regarded as the quantification of environmental impacts of the schemes proposed. The results of this exercise indicated that the model is capable of selecting more environmentally-friendly options based on surrogate environmental costs as well as incorporating environmental concerns in water resources planning even on a national scale.