The environment in which mathematical modeling and policy analysis takes place examines increasingly broader, more complex issues with scarcer resources: namely, time, money, and people. These and other developments have often led to diminishing quality in modeling and analysis. We recommend that a thorough, conscious effort be expended to deal with the full breadth of tasks impacted by modeling and the related interactions of the staff. Improvements at all levels will provide greater opportunities for the staff and enhance overall quality.

A comprehensive, integrated system of 50 models was developed to evaluate policies that include mixes of building new facilities and changing operating rules to improve water supply, as well as adjusting prices and regulations to reduce demands. Analysis performed with the system resulted in a new national water management policy, saving hundreds of millions of dollars in investment expenditures and reducing agricultural damage by about $15 million per year, while decreasing thermal and algae pollution. The methodology was adopted by the Dutch government and has been used to train water resource planners from many nations.

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