Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
strategic and operational river management and
consultants responsible for project-related sedi-
ment assessment, analysis and modelling. Conse-
quently, the tools described in the Toolbox cover
the range of each of the stakeholder-related criteria
represented in Figure 5.3. In summary, the Tool-
box is intended to provide a suite of tools that have
the capability to assess sediment dynamics at the
catchment scale, while making best use of avail-
able resources and achieving the required levels of
uncertainty, technical complexity, risk, reliabili-
ty, and stakeholder credibility.
The remainder of this chapter presents pr ´cis
descriptions of each of the tools in the Toolbox,
which should provide a sufficient basis from
which end users and stakeholders canmake initial
judgements concerning the appropriateness of a
particular method or model when selecting the
approach or approaches to be adopted in a broad-
scale sediment study. End users should then per-
form the background research and practical inves-
tigations necessary to apply the tool(s) selected for
their particular application.
and reputation amongst stakeholders and, hence,
its uptake by end users. As explained earlier, a
method or model will only be taken up widely if
end users can support and apply it within the
resource constraints imposed on time, expertise
and funds - because the outcomes of a model are
only as good as the interpretation of the numerical
results. Even when technical end users recognize
the need for complex or extensive (i.e. resource-
intensive) sediment studies, they must still make
a convincing case to other important and influen-
tial stakeholders, whomay be reluctant to support
such advanced modelling. For example, it may be
difficult to persuade funders that the additional
costs of advanced sediment assessment are justi-
fied, while politicians and the public are increas-
ingly sceptical about the value of science-based
approaches to understanding natural phenomena
and will also only accept modelling outcomes that
display the required blend of cognizance (stake-
holders can understand and accept the model's
principles and methods) and credibility (the
model is not so simple or schematized that they
scoff at it). These considerations are represented in
Figure 5.3, which depicts the need to place the
method or model within the central zone of a
triangle of stakeholder requirements.
Issues of stakeholder attitude and end-user up-
take were accounted for during assembly of the
Sediment Toolbox through quarterly meetings
with a steering panel that included representatives
from both government agencies responsible for
Stream Power Screening Tool
Basis and utility
In the context of the FRMRC Sediment Toolbox,
development of the Stream Power Screening Tool
was led by Brookes and Wishart (2006). The con-
ceptual basis for the StreamPower Screening Tool
Credibility
Constraints
Stakeholder
Attitudes
Management
Resources
Project
Success
Fig. 5.3
Balancing management resources, the
science base for sediment methods and models,
and stakeholder attitudes to achieve project
success.
Cognizance
Support
Science
Complexity
Simplicity
