The value of hydrologic information for watershed management programs: The case of Camboriú, Brazil

Investments in watershed services programs hold the promise to protect and restore ecosystems and water resources. The design and implementation of such programs is often accompanied by hydrologic modeling and monitoring, although the role of hydrologic information in meeting the needs of program ma...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2020-02, Vol.705, p.135871-135871, Article 135871
Main Authors: Hamel, Perrine, Bremer, Leah L., Ponette-González, Alexandra G., Acosta, Eileen, Fisher, Jonathan R.B., Steele, Bethel, Cavassani, André Targa, Klemz, Claudio, Blainski, Everton, Brauman, Kate A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Decision support
InVEST
SWAT
Uncertainty
Watershed management
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Summary:Investments in watershed services programs hold the promise to protect and restore ecosystems and water resources. The design and implementation of such programs is often accompanied by hydrologic modeling and monitoring, although the role of hydrologic information in meeting the needs of program managers remains unclear. In the Camboriú watershed, Brazil, we explored the value of hydrologic modeling and monitoring with respect to two dimensions: scientific credibility and use of generated knowledge in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the watershed management program. We used a combination of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and hydrologic modeling under various levels of data availability to examine when improved models and data availability might build credibility and provide more useful information for decision makers. We found that hydrologic information was not actually used for the detailed design, but rather contributed to broad-scale support of the program by increasing scientific credibility. Model sophistication and data availability improved the credibility of hydrologic information but did not affect actual decisions related to program design. Hydrologic monitoring data were critical for model calibration, and high-resolution land use and land cover data, obtained via remote sensing, affected some model outputs which were not used to design the program. Our study suggests that identifying how hydrologic data will inform decision making should guide the level of effort used in hydrologic modeling and monitoring. [Display omitted] •We explore how hydrologic information is used in watershed management programs.•We analyze interviews, and hydrologic modeling and monitoring (HMM) data.•In practice HMM data was not used to support program design and implementation.•Model sophistication and data availability improved the credibility of information.•Interdisciplinary approaches should inform the design of HMM activities.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135871