55 Multi-Benefit Resources

Water Storage Investment Program Technical Reference

Author: California Water Commission (2016)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Economic valuation

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Drywells, Flood Control, Groundwater extraction, Groundwater Management, Groundwater recharge, Groundwater storage, Infiltration basins, Spreading basins, Surface Water Storage

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Demand reduction, Drinking water quality, Energy production, Extreme events, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment, Local economy, Peak flood volume, People and Community, Recreation, Regulatory compliance, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Total flood volume, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Water Storage Investment Program Technical Reference details the methodology for quantifying the co-benefits or adverse impacts of water storage projects under California’s Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). The report outlines methods for quantification of various co-benefits and adverse impacts, providing guidance on defining future site conditions, calculating physical changes, monetizing project benefits and costs, comparing benefits and costs, properly allocating costs to beneficiaries, determining cost-effectiveness and public-benefit ratio, and evaluating sources of uncertainty. Projects that quantify public benefits following these methodologies are eligible for California state bond funding to pay for the public benefits.

Using economic valuation techniques to inform water resources management: A survey and critical appraisal of available techniques and an application

Author: Birol, Karousakis, & Koundouri, (2006)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Economic valuation

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Ambient water quality, Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

Using economic valuation techniques to inform water resources management presents a non-technical introduction to the economic valuation techniques of changes in the quantity and quality of environmental resources, with a specific focus on water. This report includes dozens of relevant articles that provide cost and benefit estimates of various aspects of water resources (e.g. environmental services). It also provides a case study applying the economic valuation techniques to the Cheimaditida wetland in Greece.

The Economic Benefits of Multipurpose Reservoirs in the United States-Federal Hydropower Fleet

Author: Bonnet et al., Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2015)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Economic valuation

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Surface Water Storage

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Air quality, End use energy, Energy, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, People and Community, Supply augmentation, Water Supply

The Economic Benefits of Multipurpose Reservoirs in the United States-Federal Hydropower Fleet estimates the economic benefits of multipurpose hydropower reservoirs with a focus on the Tennessee Valley Authority, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the US Bureau of Reclamation. The multipurposes are divided into six categories of federal uses: hydropower, flood control, navigation, recreation, water supply, and irrigation. The report provides the calculated percent of total benefits accrued within each category, with results showing that recreation possessed the largest overall benefit as defined by visitor days and daily spending.

Living Streets Economic Feasibility Project: Final Report

Author: Abdullah & Blyth, Heal the Bay, Climate Resolve, GreenLA Coalition (2016)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Economic valuation

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Conservation design, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Infiltration or filtration, Low impact landscaping, Runoff conveyance, Runoff storage

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Air quality, Ambient water quality, Carbon sequestration, Demand reduction, Energy, Energy for wastewater, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Regulatory compliance, Reputation, Risk and Resilience, Soil health, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Urban heat island, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Living Streets Economic Feasibility Report presents an alternate, new paradigm to guide the future of street and sidewalk infrastructure design and creation for Los Angeles. The term they use for this new paradigm is “Living Streets”, and it incorporates green infrastructure and stormwater capture within street design to improve air quality, water quantity and quality, flooding, human health, and aesthetics within urban regions. The report presents the costs and benefits of Living Streets, and compares them to the costs and benefits of continuing with business as usual, as well as against what they call “Green Streets,” “Cool Streets,” and “Complete Streets.”

Life-cycle cost-benefit analysis of extensive vegetated roof systems

Author: Carter & Keeler, (2008)
Geography: Southern U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Economic valuation

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Runoff storage

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Affordability, Air quality, End use energy, Energy, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, Peak flood volume, People and Community, Total flood volume, Urban heat island

Life-cycle cost-benefit analysis of extensive vegetated roof systems assesses the benefits and costs of green roofs from a pilot study in Athens, Georgia, including private and social benefits. The public benefits identified were avoided best management practice costs, energy savings, and air quality, and the private benefits identified were stormwater utility fee credits, building energy savings, and air quality. The costs identified in the study included lifetime construction and maintenance. The study revealed that green roofs were 10-14% more expensive than conventional counterparts, and therefore, recommended that a broader range of positive social benefits be included in the analysis in order to outweigh the higher construction costs and encourage the construction of green roofs.