Multiobjective Decision Support for the Kwanza River Management

Abstract

Water management has become a challenging problem worldwide, especially in developing countries, due to several reasons including the growing scarcity of natural water resources; a demographic explosion in many urban settlements, followed by a rapid urbanization and industrialization of neighboring areas; and the inherent increase in the demand of energy and natural fresh water for human consumption and agricultural developments. The Kwanza river, the longest and most plentiful in Angola, is a paradigmatic case, as it is one of the main sources of wealth in that country. Many people base, direct or indirectly, their living on its water, and many economical activities, including energy production, depend also on its stream. We provide a model for the multiobjective multipurpose management of the Kwanza river. The problem is complicated by the need to take into account uncertainty in various involved processes, to plan over a long period of time, and the presence of several con°icting objectives. We describe also a decision support system implementing our model.