Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
relationships are: water management mechanisms (actions, regulatory rules,
etc.) lead to water system outcomes (flows, water levels, water for extraction),
which in turn contribute to broader outcomes (ecosystem health, economic
production). The diagram also identifies that external factors also influence
these two levels of outcomes, particularly the broader ones. Inputs are not
separately specified in this model, but they could be added.
This three level logic model approach has also been recently applied to the
evaluation of water resource plans in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
Thirty one water sharing plans (WSPs) commenced operation in 2004 and
under state law expire in 2014, at which time they are either extended for
a further ten years or remade. In preparation for this, the state water agency
prepared evaluation reports of the plans, to assess whether change is needed
and if so what should be changed. These plans as formulated did not include an
explicit logic map, so the agency prepared logic maps for each plan by extracting
information scattered through the plans and associated documents. These logic
models were all based on a common three level model as shown in Figure 3.6.
Performance indicators can be designed for each level of the generic logic
model shown in Figure 3.2. That is, there can be indicators for:
O
INPUTS: were the inputs provided?
O
OUTPUTS: were the outputs achieved?
O
OUTCOMES: were the outcomes (at each level) achieved, or did the
outputs contribute to the achievement of the outcomes?
Achievement of targeted
broad outcomes is also
dependent of factors
outside of the WSP (e.g.
land use, management of
held e-water, NRM
programs, commodity
prices, etc.)
Economic, social/cultural, environmental
Achievement of
targeted water outputs
can also be affected by
climate and water user
behaviour uncertainty
Typically related to water (flows, water
levels, supply and extraction of water, etc).
The actions and regulations that are
mandated to occur by the WSP
Figure 3.6
Common logic model for evaluation of NSW water sharing plans
(Source: Hamstead 2013)
