Publication Highlight: Equity in Water Resources Planning: A Path Forward for Decision Support Modelers

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Graphical abstract (Fletcher et al., 2022)

Globally, many communities face the threats of droughts, floods, unsafe drinking water, and lack of drinking water access. The most vulnerable population groups often endure greater burden in the face of these of these challenges including reduced access and increased environmental consequences.

Water resources professionals are crucial to implementing equitable water practices through planning, design, and modeling and have an ethical responsibility to address inequities in the communities they serve. In a recently published Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management paper, Equity in Water Resources Planning: A Path Forward for Decision Support Modelers, Dr. Fletcher and her co-authors argue that to support more equitable outcomes in water systems, it imperative that equity is integrated in the decision-making process. To support this goal, the article provides a set of actionable recommendations for researchers and practitioners in the water resources systems decision support modeling community to further address equity. These recommendations can help guide the adaptation of existing modeling practices in water resources systems to be more equitable.