106 Multi-Benefit Resources

Nature-based Solutions Evidence Platform

Author: University of Oxford (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural land management, Land Management, Reforestation and forest conservation, Stream protection and restoration, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Water quality

The Nature-based Solutions Evidence Platform provides visualization and sorting tools for resources and data related to benefits from nature-based solutions. The data can be filtered by a variety of categories, mapped by country, or charted to show results.

A Path Forward forCalifornia’s FreshwaterEcosystems

Author: Mount et al., Public Policy Institute of California (2019)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Land Management, Reforestation and forest conservation, Stream protection and restoration, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment

A Path Forward for California’s Freshwater Ecosystems makes the case for shifting Endangered Species Act implementation from the species to the ecosystem level. This shift could allow for the creation of direct ecosystem-based objectives and increase implementation of multiple benefit projects.

Building and Measuring Community Resilience: Actions for Communities and the Gulf Research Program

Author: Allen et al., National Academy of Sciences (2019)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies:

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Extreme events, Risk and Resilience, System resilience

Building and Measuring Community Resilience uses a consensus study to examine how communities could become more resilient in the face of climate change and other disasters. They discuss 33 different resilience measurements and included input from stakeholders from eight different communities. This information is summarized into recommendations for developing resilience in communities and a table comparing different resilience metrics.

Green Infrastructure Evaluation Framework

Author: National Recreation and Park Association (2019)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Air quality, Ambient water quality, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Urban heat island, Water quality

The Green Infrastructure Evaluation Framework allows for people planning green infrastructure projects to identify and systematically calculate project benefits. Step one of the framework has a tool to identify all the different benefits that could be expected. Step two lays out how to collect and manage data to evaluate green infrastructure. Step 3 builds a structure on how to use the data, once collected, for communication inside and outside of the organization.

The contribution of constructed green infrastructure to urban biodiversity: A synthesis and meta-analysis

Author: Filazzola et al., University of Alberta (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment

The contribution of constructed green infrastructure to urban biodiversity: A synthesis and meta-analysis examines efficacy of green infrastructure in improving biodiversity. The authors examined 33 published green infrastructure cases that included quantification of biodiversity. The synthesis of these cases suggests there are significant biodiversity benefits. Some projects achieve levels of biodiversity found in undisturbed sites.

Assessing The Direct Effects of Streamflow on Recreation: A Literature Review

Author: Brown et al., US Forest Service (1991)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Land Management, Stream protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: In stream flows, Land and environment, People and Community, Recreation

Assessing The Direct Effects of Streamflow on Recreation: A Literature Review examines the relationship between stream flows and recreation quality. Most papers found a nonlinear relationship between increases in stream flows and recreation quality. Recreation quality increases with streamflows until a site specific point, and then levels out. This indicates there could be an optimum stream flow in water systems for recreation quality.

Water for Wilderness Areas: Instream Flow Needs, Protection, and Economic Value

Author: Brown, US Forest Service (1991)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Economic valuation, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Land Management, Stream protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment

Water for Wilderness Areas: Instream Flow Needs, Protection, and Economic Value reviews literature to examine the needs of wilderness for instream flows. Instream flows sufficient for supporting recreation may not be sufficient for supporting wilderness needs. There is no consensus on how much quantity or value these flows have, but existence value techniques may be able to estimate this.

Conservation Gateway

Author: The Nature Conservancy (N/A)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Land Management, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment

The Conservation Gateway provides resources to support conservation practices in water management. The gateway provides a variety of resources from funding for freshwater conservation to protocols on water quality assessment. The resources are divided between: Corporate Water Use, Environmental Flows, Water Infrastructure, Water Quality, Habitat Protection and Restoration, Financial Solutions, Saving Great Rivers, and Setting Freshwater Priorities.

The Napa River Basin, California

Author: Naturally Resilient Communities (2016)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural flooding, Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Embankment and horizontal levees, Flood bypass systems, Flood Control, Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Land Management, Recharge area protection, Riparian buffers, Storm drains and pipes, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Ambient water quality, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, Local economy, Peak flood volume, People and Community, Recreation, Total flood volume, Water quality

The Napa River Basin, California provides a short overview of the multi-benefit approach taken by the Napa River communities to mitigate flood risk. The chosen approach deliberately sought not only to reduce the risk and impact of flooding from the Napa River, but also to preserve and restore habitat, reconnect the floodplain, and improve community livability.

NRCS Practice Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Carbon Sequestration

Author: Natural Resource Conservation Service (2012)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural land management, Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Carbon sequestration, GHG emissions, Land and environment, Soil health

The NRCS Practice Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Carbon Sequestration ranks effectiveness of greenhouse gas reduction techniques for farmers. This list provides NRCS practice codes and brief summaries of techniques.

The City Water Resilience Approach

Author: Fletcher et al., Arup (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Community resilience, Demand changes, Health and safety, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, System resilience, Water Supply

The City Water Resilience Approach considers how cities can create resilient water management plans in the face of changing city populations and climate. The report goes through a multistep approach and addresses potential issues between different stakeholders as well as other barriers. It focuses on providing the increasing urban population with safe, resilient water resources and protection from water related disasters.

Bringing Water and Land Use Together

Author: Local Government Commission (2019)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Groundwater Management, Groundwater storage, Runoff conveyance, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Transfer

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Community resilience, Flooding, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water Supply

Bringing Water and Land Use Together discusses Integrated Regional Water Management. This strategy is similar to the multi-benefit framework and integrates multiple groups of stakeholders to find mutually beneficial solutions to water management issues. The report highlights case studies throughout California that have adopted different integrated management approaches. It provides lists of recommendations for different stakeholders attempting to engage in integrated management.

Wellspring: Source Water Resilience and Climate Adaptation

Author: Matthews et al., The Nature Conservancy (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies:

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Agricultural, Community resilience, Energy production, Extreme events, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, In stream flows, System resilience, Water supply reliability

Wellspring: Source Water Resilience and Climate Adaptation contributes to the evolving discussions connected to source water protection, risk, resilience, and climate change. This report provides a thorough description of literature, tools, and case examples of resilient management of source waters.

Identifying linkages between urban green infrastructure and ecosystem services using an expert opinion methodology

Author: Elliott et al., Columbia University (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

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, Agricultural, Air quality, Ambient water quality, Carbon sequestration, Community resilience, Educational opportunity, End use energy, Energy, Extreme events, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, People and Community, Recreation, Resource recovery, Risk and Resilience, Soil health, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Urban heat island, Water quality, Water Supply

Identifying linkages between urban green infrastructure and ecosystem services using an expert opinion methodology compares benefits in urban distributed stormwater infrastructure. This is commonly known as green infrastructure (GI), provides a wide variety of benefits. This study offers both a methodology for evaluating the multiple benefits of GI as well as a decision-support tool developed through interviews with 46 academic experts that helps to rank different GI strategies based on their known ability to deliver a variety of co-benefits.

Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’

Author: Wolch et al., UC Berkeley (2014)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Community resilience, Health and safety, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation

Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’ is a review paper evaluating the global relationship between environmental improvements and inequity. The article concludes green space development’s impact on disenfranchised groups hinges on the goals of the development. Greening that is designed to increase the value of the neighborhood can be problematic, but greening that is “just enough” can accomplish significant health improvements without displacing people.

Inclusive Urban Ecological Restoration in Toronto, Canada

Author: Newman, Center for Resource Economics (2011)
Geography: Outside U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Community resilience, Health and safety, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation

Inclusive Urban Ecological Restoration in Toronto, Canada explores the ways improving diversity in park management could benefit Toronto communities. Involving more racial groups in projects has many unrecognized benefits. For example, it can help undo racial stereotypes that parks and natural spaces are only for white people. It can also make people who live in these communities more visible. Communities can also be empowered by being included in ecological projects. By involving minority groups from the beginning of a project, the project is more sustainable in the long term.

Participatory development and the sustainable city: community forestry in Detroit

Author: Vachta & McDonough, The Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg (2002)
Geography: Midwestern U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Community resilience, Health and safety, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation

Participatory Development and the Sustainable City: Community Forestry in Detroit is a chapter in a book discussing sustainable city management. This chapter focuses on including equitable stakeholder engagement in these decisions by examining environmental investment in Detroit. After Detroit experienced a loss of about 1/5 of its city, green infrastructure projects were designed and implemented to fill the open areas. A series of projects were chosen by the communities, with public involvement. While implementation continued, a series of interviews were conducted to ensure the project was meeting community expectations.

An Equitable Water Future

Author: US Water Alliance (2017)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Land Management, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Community resilience, Health and safety, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Risk and Resilience

An Equitable Water Future highlights the main challenges and main solutions in water equity in the United States. There are 1.4 million Americans without access to modern plumbing. Affordability can also contribute to water inequity, the bottom 20% can pay 1/5 of their income on water bills. Communities might have disproportionate impacts from historical water quality threats such as nuclear testing or lead pipes. Examples of projects and organizations that are addressing these equity issues are provided. Equity and climate resilience are also discussed.

Landscape Performance Series

Author: Landscape Architecture Foundation (N/A)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Decision support tool, Economic valuation, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Conservation design, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Low impact landscaping, Outdoor water use efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Water quality, Water Supply

The Landscape Performance Series is a compilation of case studies, fact sheets, and a Benefits Toolkit, to support sustainable landscape design. It is available for designers, agencies, and advocates to help evaluate performance, show value, and make the case for landscapes.

Water Funds Toolbox

Author: The Nature Conservancy (N/A)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Case study, Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural land management, Conservation design, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Infiltration or filtration, Land Management, Low impact landscaping, Recharge area protection, Reforestation and forest conservation, Riparian buffers, Stream protection and restoration, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water Supply

The Water Fund Toolbox provides a wide variety of resources, case studies, tools, etc. for groups seeking to create or advance the work of a Water Fund. A Water Fund is an organization that designs and enhances financial and governance mechanisms which unite public, private, and civil society stakeholders around a common goal to contribute to water security through nature-based solutions and sustainable water management.

The Untapped Potential of California’s Water Supply: Efficiency, Reuse, and Stormwater – Issue Brief

Author: Gleick et al., Pacific Institute, NRDC (2014)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural efficiency, Commercial or industrial reuse, Delivery system efficiency, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Indirect potable reuse, Infiltration and filtration, On site nonpotable reuse, Runoff storage, Urban and industrial nonpotable reuse, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Demand reduction, Energy, Energy for water extraction, GHG emissions, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Increased pressures on Californias water supply, including from population growth and intense periods of drought exacerbated by climate change, are leading to the overuse of surface water and groundwater. But with existing technology and conservation methods, the state can take vital steps to improve its resilience to drought and plan for a more sustainable water future. This issue brief, produced in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council, is a statewide analysis of the potential for improved efficiency in agricultural and urban water use, water reuse and recycling, and increased capturing of local rainwater.

The environmental benefits of water recycling and reuse

Author: Anderson, Dept. of Public Works and Services, Sydney, Australia (2003)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Land and environment

The environmental benefits of water recycling and reuse presents on the links between water reuse and sustainable water management through the examination of a variety of case studies from Australia. Some case studies included also quantify the environmental benefits of water reuse.

Moving Toward a Multiple Benefits Approach for Water Management

Author: Diringer et al., (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Case study, Decision support tool, Economic valuation, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Desalination, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Flood Control, Groundwater Management, Land Management, Surface Water Storage, Wastewater Treatment, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse, Water Transfer

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

The Pacific Institute’s report, Moving Toward a Multiple Benefits Approach for Water Management, proposes a framework for systematically identifying and incorporating the multiple benefits and trade-offs of water management strategies into decision-making processes. The framework can help users broaden support for a policy or project; identify opportunities to share costs among project beneficiaries; minimize adverse and unintended consequences; optimize the investment of time, money, and other resources; and increase transparency associated with water management decisions.

Natural Infrastructure in the Nexus

Author: Ozment, DiFrancesco, & Gartner, IUCN, International Water Association, World Resources Institute (2015)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural land management, Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Constructed stormwater wetlands, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Flood Control, Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Infiltration or filtration, Land Management, Living shorelines, Low impact landscaping, Recharge area protection, Reforestation and conservation, Riparian buffers, Stream protection and restoration, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Flooding, Water quality, Water Supply

This paper discusses how natural infrastructure, the networks of land and water that provide services to people, can help decision makers and infrastructure managers address interconnected challenges facing water, energy, and food systems, often referred to as the “nexus.” The paper examines reasons and ways to include natural infrastructure in this nexus, challenges that have prevented increased investment in natural infrastructure, and recommendations for moving forward.

Nature and Health

Author: Hartig et al., (2014)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Constructed stormwater wetlands, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Flood Control, Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Infiltration or filtration, Land Management, Living shorelines, Low impact landscaping, Recharge area protection, Reforestation and conservation, Riparian buffers, Stream protection and restoration, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Air quality, Community resilience, Health and safety, Land and environment, People and Community, Recreation

This article presents the state of knowledge with regards to human health and well-being from contact with nature. The article includes a discussion of the term “nature,” a review of relevant research including linkages between nature and benefits, and the gaps, challenges, methodological approaches that could be used for future research.

Green Cities: Good Health

Author: University of Washington, U.S. Forest Service, and Urban and Community Forestry (N/A)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Economic valuation, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Health and safety, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Urban heat island

Green Cities: Good Health is an online compilation and synthesis of research related to urban green spaces and human health and well-being. The website includes introductory material, summaries of current research into the numerous benefits of urban green space, future research, and a comprehensive list of references.

Neighborhood greenspace and health in a large urban center

Author: Kardan et al., (2015)
Geography: Outside U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Infiltration or filtration, Low impact landscaping

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Health and safety, People and Community

This study links tree density in an urban center (Toronto, Canada) to results of a health survey using statistical methods. The findings indicate that more trees improve health perception and health outcomes.

A Northwest Vision for 2040 Water Infrastructure

Author: Roth & Mazza, Center for Sustainable Infrastructure (2017)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

In A Northwest Vision for 2040 Water Infrastructure the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure presents a vision for the future of water management for the Northwestern U.S. The vision describes how Northwest communities can develop integrated, sustainable, and resilient water systems that address water quality, water supply, and flooding. The report is full of qualitative descriptions of the benefits of this more sustainable and equitable vision and provides numerous real-world examples of how and where Northwest communities are already working towards this future.

Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using Green Infrastructure: A literature review

Author: Tzoulas et al., (2007)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Low impact landscaping

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Health and safety, Land and environment, People and Community, Recreation

Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using Green Infrastructure: A literature review formulates a conceptual framework of associations between urban green space, and ecosystem and human health. Through an interdisciplinary literature review the possible contributions of Green Infrastructure on both ecosystem health and human health are critically reviewed. Over a dozen studies are cited that demonstrate human health aspects related to green space and nature. Included definition of ecosystem services and Green Infrastructure which differs from LID definitions of GI in the U.S.

Multisolving

Author: Climate Interactive (N/A)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Case study, Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: N/A

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

Multisolving is a concept developed by the Climate Interactive that provides an approach for finding systematic solutions that protect the climate while also improving health, equity, and well-being. The concept rests on the foundation that solutions to climate change will not only reduce carbon or sequester greenhouse gases, but will also contribute to attractive and livable communities that are more equitable and just for all. Multisolving is finding solutions that solve multiple problems with a single intervention. The website contains reports, tools, applications, case studies and more.

San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas

Author: San Francisco Estuary Institute, SPUR (2019)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Conservation design, Constructed stormwater wetlands, Detention basins, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Embankment and horizontal levees, Flood Control, Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Infiltration basins, Infiltration or filtration, Land Management, Living shorelines, Retention basins, Riparian buffers, Stream and channel modifications, Stream protection and restoration, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Water quality

The San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas offers practitioners and decision makers in the region a comprehensive, science-based framework for assessing, planning, and designing sea level rise adaptation strategies. The framework organizes adaptation strategies around geographically connected areas, called Operational Landscape Units (OLUs); these OLUs are explained in depth with specific strategies considered for each within the Atlas’ mapping tool.

Measuring Benefits of Distributed, Nature-Based Stormwater Projects

Author: The River Project (2018)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Flood Control, Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Water quality, Water Supply

Measuring Benefits of Distributed, Nature-Based Stormwater Projects explores a variety of factors relevant to the assessment of distributed, nature-based stormwater projects. This report provides a useful discussion around definitions of terms, typology, scale, and other important factors related to the comparison of green, grey, and green/grey infrastructure.

Biodiverse perennial meadows have aesthetic value and increase residents’ perceptions of site quality in urban green-space

Author: Southon et al., (2017)
Geography: Outside U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Low impact landscaping

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Health and safety, People and Community

Researches used photos and as well as actual urban green spaces converted to meadows to evaluate perceptions of visitors to these spaces in southern England. Perennial meadows increased perceived quality and appreciation of urban green space, with visitors showing a higher preference for meadows with higher plant and structural diversity.

Methods to Assess Co-Benefits of California Climate Investments: Water Supply and Availability

Author: Einstein & Litke, Center for Resource Efficient Communities, UC-Berkeley (2017)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Land Management, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Carbon sequestration, Demand reduction, Flooding, GHG emissions, In stream flows, Land and environment, Peak flood volume, Soil health, Supply augmentation, Total flood volume, Water quality, Water Supply

Methods to Assess Co-benefits of California Climate Investments: Water Supply and Availability is a literature review of the different methodologies and approaches to quantifying the water supply and availability benefits from California Climate Investment projects. California Climate Investments are a broad group of projects being pursued across the state to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as wetland restoration and urban tree planting. While the literature review is targeted at California projects, some of the information provided could be applicable more broadly in the U.S.

Health Lands and Healthy Economies website

Author: Sonoma County Ag + Open Space (N/A)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Water quality, Water Supply

This is the landing page for Sonoma County Ag + Open Space Health Lands & Healthy Economies program. This website includes links to many resources on multi-benefit valuation of agricultural and natural lands.

Top 22 Benefits of Trees

Author: TreePeople (2019)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Land Management, Reforestation and forest conservation

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Air quality, Ambient water quality, Carbon sequestration, Community resilience, Demand reduction, Educational opportunity, End use energy, Energy, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Resource recovery, Soil health, System resilience, Urban heat island, Water quality, Water Supply

This website, Top 22 Benefits of Trees, provides an overview of the top benefits provided by trees, which include, but are not limited to, saving water, preventing water pollution, and many other benefits.

Urban Nature for Human Health and Well-Being

Author: USDA (2018)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: N/A

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Health and safety, People and Community, Urban heat island

Urban Nature for Human Health and Well-Being summarizes the most recent research on connections between human health and natural urban spaces and features. This paper presents new and ongoing studies that seek to address the quantitative and qualitative impacts of green spaces on human mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

The Green Edge: How Commercial Property Investment in Green Infrastructure Creates Value

Author: Clements & St. Juliana, NRDC (2013)
Geography: Northeastern U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Economic valuation, Qualitative description, Quantitative benefits

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, End use energy, Energy, Local economy, People and Community, Regulatory compliance, Reputation, Risk and Resilience, System resilience, Urban heat island, Water supply reliability

This report explores the range of economic benefits that accrue to commercial property owners (including owners of multifamily residential buildings) when they install green infrastructure on their property to improve stormwater management.

Impacts of desalination plant discharges on the marine environment: A critical review of published studies

Author: Roberts, Johnston, & Knott, (2010)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Desalination, Seawater desalination

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, Water quality, Water Supply

Impacts of desalination plant discharges on the marine environment: A critical review of published studies provides a qualitative review of the environmental impacts of desalination plants across the globe. The literature review revealed that the most detrimental environmental impacts have resulted from older multi-stage flash (MSF) plants as a result of the large amounts of discharge with little flushing. The negative environmental impacts cited include increased water salinity and temperatures, as well as the deposition of hydrocarbons, metals, and toxic compounds. The literature review also revealed that selected discharge location directly influenced the severity of environmental impacts.

Climate information? Embedding climate futures within temporalities of California water management

Author: Baker, Ekstrom, & Bedsworth, (2018)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: N/A

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Extreme events, Risk and Resilience, System resilience, Water supply reliability

Climate information? Embedding climate futures within temporalities of California water management analyzes the use of climate change information in water resources management decisions in California. The information was obtained by conducting interviews (n=61) with drinking water utility managers in California, analyzing three different methodologies for incorporation of climate change information: 1) modeled futures, 2) whose future?, and 3) truncated futures. The interviews revealed that ‘modeled futures’ most closely aligned with supply-demand projections in widely-accepted literature.

Progress Toward Establishing a National Assessment of Water Availability and Use

Author: Alley et al., U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (2013)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Water quality, Water Supply

Progress Toward Establishing a National Assessment of Water Availability and Use discusses the need for a National Water Census within the United States. The goal of the Water Census would be to provide a comprehensive database that would inform managers and decision-makers on the water availability and water quality in the nation. The report illustrates the framework through various regional and national applications. The report also asserts that in order for a Water Census to be successful, there must be sufficient collaboration between organizations and agencies.

Multi-criteria decision analysis in environmental sciences: Ten years of applications and trends

Author: Huang, Keisler, & Linkov, (2011)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

Multi-criteria decision analysis in environmental sciences: Ten years of applications and trends examines the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for environmental applications within the past decade. The literature review revealed that there has been significant growth in MCDA application within environmental practices. The review also found parallels between applications of MCDA across similar projects, suggesting that MCDA has been applied consistently within cases reviewed.

From comparative risk assessment to multi-criteria decision analysis and adaptive management: Recent developments and applications

Author: Linkoc et al., (2006)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Environmental Remediation, Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Energy, Flooding, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

From comparative risk assessment to multi-criteria decision analysis and adaptive management: Recent developments and applications provides a summary of regulatory frameworks in the United State and Europe. The paper also proposes a new decision-making framework that combines multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with adaptive management strategies and significant stakeholder engagement. The report includes an application of the framework to a sediment restoration project in the New York/New Jersey Harbor.

Combining multi-attribute utility and geographic information for boundary decisions: An application to park planning

Author: Keisler & Sundell, (1997)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Land Management

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment

Combining multi-attribute utility and geographic information for boundary decisions: An application to park planning provides a framework for inclusion of various objectives when determining park boundaries. The framework combines multi-attribute utility functions with spatial analysis in order to determine park boundaries that satisfy various stakeholders’ goals and objectives. The tool outputs multiple park boundary scenarios, allowing the user to evaluate the alternatives and select the best option.

Achieving Resilience through Water Recycling in Peri-Urban Agriculture

Author: Attwater & Derry, (2017)
Geography: Outside U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural nonpotable reuse, Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Centralized wastewater treatment, Constructed stormwater wetlands, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Flood Control, On site nonpotable reuse, Runoff conveyance, Runoff storage, Wastewater Treatment, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Agriculture, Ambient water quality, Community resilience, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Resource recovery, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Achieving Resilience through Water Recycling in Peri-Urban Agriculture examines water recycling for agricultural use in the peri-urban regions of Western Sydney, Australia. The study provides a qualitative assessment of the benefits associated with agricultural water reuse of treated wastewater and drinking water in the context of the communities larger water system. The benefits identified include enhanced landscape ecology, environmental risk management, water supply reliability, agricultural products and services, reduced wastewater discharges to receiving waters, provision of ecosystem services, community livelihood, social values, and overall enhanced resilience.

Policy and Economics of Managed Aquifer Recharge and Water Banking

Author: Megdal & Dillion, (2015)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Groundwater Management, Groundwater recharge, Groundwater storage, Indirect potable reuse, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Policy and Economics of Managed Aquifer Recharge and Water Banking provides a summary of a series of papers on managed aquifer recharge (MAR) programs with excess surface water and recycled water. The paper argues that several limitations to implementation of MAR programs exist, including a deficiency in policies and government frameworks that support MAR programs, as well as limited economic analyses on MAR’s programs. The goal of this summary report is to fill these regulatory and economic gaps so as to encourage MAR program development and implementation.

Firewater Storage, Treatment, Recycling and Management: New Perspectives Based on Experiences from the United Kingdom

Author: Scholz, (2014)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Commercial or industrial reuse, Industrial treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Demand reduction, Extreme events, Health and safety, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply

Firewater Storage, Treatment, Recycling and Management: New Perspectives Based on Experiences from the United Kingdom is a literature review examining firewater management and recycling best practices in the United Kingdom. The literature review revealed that limited research is available on this subject and that development of decision support tools are needed to evaluate consumption rates, capacity, water quality, and pump requirements. A particular article suggested the need for further research into on-site treatment methods, such as mobile and compact filtration units.

Relevance and Benefits of Urban Water Reuse in Tourist Areas

Author: Lazarova, Sturny, & Sang, (2012)
Geography: Outside U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Desalination, On site nonpotable reuse, Seawater desalination, Urban and industrial nonpotable reuse, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Affordability, Ambient water quality, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Recreation, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Relevance and Benefits of Urban Water Reuse in Tourist Areas presents a case study on factors that influenced the implementation of water reuse on the island of Bora Bora, French Polynesia. The study addresses the regulatory and technical challenges to implementation of water reuse systems, as well as provides methods for overcoming these challenges through the Bora Bora case study. The report emphasizes the need for reliability in treatment operations, feasible prices and operation costs, and effective utilization of the co-benefits of water reuse projects.

Green Infrastructure & Health Guide

Author: Oregon Health and Outdoors Initiative, Willamette Partnership, Oregon Public Health Institute (OPHI), The Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange (2018)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

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, Air quality, Ambient water quality, Community resilience, Educational opportunity, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Health and safety, Land and environment, Local economy, Peak flood volume, People and Community, Recreation, Regulatory compliance, Reputation, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Urban heat island, Water quality, Water Supply

Green Infrastructure & Health Guide provides the tools, resources, and evidence for the connections between green infrastructure (GI) and human health. The chapters include Health Challenges and GI Solutions, GI and Health: What is the connection?, Nature Experiences and Health: Current evidence, Shared Language, Identifying Community Health Needs, Make the Case: Business and more, Community Engagement: Why and how, GI Siting and Design: Considerations for health, Evaluating Health Benefits of GI, and Needs and Next Steps. The appendices include Detailed Community Engagement Guidelines, Sample Tree Planting Health Survey, Sample Logic Model Linking Tree Planting and Health, and Sample City Health and Outdoors Opportunities Assessments.

National Management Measures to Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas for the Abatement of Nonpoint Source Pollution

Author: U.S. EPA (2005)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Land Management, Riparian buffers, Stream protection and restoration, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment, Local economy, Peak flood volume, People and Community, Supply augmentation, Total flood volume, Water quality, Water Supply

National Management Measures to Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas for the Abatement of Nonpoint Source Pollution is a guidance document that is targeted at state level employees seeking management options for non-point source (NPS) pollution. The report provides guidance on reducing NPS pollution through wetland and riparian area restoration and protection and vegetated treatment systems. The report also includes further resources for NPS pollution management practices as well as relevant case studies organized by territory, state, and tribe.