Reports & Links

Leigh Tesfatsion, Chris R. Rehmann, Diego S. Cardoso, Yu Jie, and William J. Gutowski“An Agent-Based Platform for the Study of Watersheds as Coupled Natural and Human Systems”, Environmental Modelling & Software, Vol. 89, March, 2017, 40-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2016.11.021

Abstract: This study describes the architecture and capabilities of an open source agent-based Java platform that permits the systematic study of interactions among hydrology, climate, and strategic human decision-making in a watershed over time. To demonstrate the platform’s use and capabilities, an application is presented in accordance with ODD protocol requirements that captures, in simplified form, the structural attributes of the Squaw Creek watershed in central Iowa. Illustrative findings are reported for the sensitivity of farmer and city social welfare outcomes to changes in three key treatment factors: farmer land-allocation decision method, farmer targeted savings, and levee quality effectiveness for the mitigation of city flood damage.

Preprint of Published Paper: http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/WACCShedPlatform.RevisedWP15022.pdf

Code/Data Repository for Published Paper: https://bitbucket.org/waccproject/waccshedsoftwareplatform


Leigh Tesfatsion, Yu Jie, Chris R. Rehmann, and William J. Gutowski“WACCShed: A platform for the study of watersheds as dynamic coupled natural and human systems”, Economics Department Working Paper No. 1522, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA, February 23, 2016.

Abstract: This study describes the development of the Water And Climate Change Watershed (WACCShed) Platform, an agent-based software platform that permits the systematic study of interactions among hydrology, climate, and strategic human decision-making in a watershed over time. To illustrate the capabilities of the platform, findings are reported for a base-case application reflecting, in simplified form, the structural attributes of the Squaw Creek watershed in central Iowa. Attention is focused on the alignment of welfare outcomes as a prerequisite for effective watershed governance. Key treatment factors include farmer and city manager decision modes for land and budget allocations, farmer targeted savings, and the effectiveness of city levee investments for the mitigation of city flood damage. Welfare misalignment is found to arise across a broad spectrum of settings for these treatment factors.

Link to Working Paper: http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/WACCShedPaper.WPVersion.pdf