TCM-MANAGER - A PC-BASED TOTAL CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM

To date, little research effort has been directed towards developing a catchment-based resource management decision support system (DSS) tha t adequately integrates technical environmental information and sophis ticated computer computational and graphical techniques. The environme ntal industry is currently without a rapid and cost-effective PC-based method by which to manage water catchments and assess the accumulated impacts of proposed development activities. A computer simulation sys tem called TCM-Manager has been developed to assist the understanding of and management of complex land-use changes. The distributed model t akes a catchment approach and applies the principles of total catchmen t management (TCM) to simulate the impacts of land-use change on envir onmental hows. Although extensive site-specific calibration is possibl e depending on existing environmental databases, TCM-Manager requires only initial study area topographic and land-use data to predict water , sediment and nutrient fluxes.Two time scales may be simulated. STORM simulations make use of coupled surface-subsurface distributed models to determine short-duration storm hydrographs and pollutographs. ANNU AL simulations estimate yearly water and contaminant flows. Both simul ations require minimal information for immediate operation. Multiple, hierarchical and complex land-use changes may be simulated so that acc umulated impacts of management decision scenarios can be assessed. The strength of TCM-Manager is that it provides an accessible, realistic and user-friendly graphical platform from which extensive preliminary catchment impact assessment, planning and management may be performed. It is intended to be used by resource managers and has been construct ed to facilitate use without extensive calibration and user-expertise. Under this philosophy, the system is also suitable for secondary and tertiary education, environmental engineering and sensitivity analysis . The system provides several report formats that summarise simulation s, determine water quality compliance, partly interpret results, and p rovide decision support based on simulation findings. Copyright (C) 19 96 Elsevier Science Ltd