Operationalizing equity in multipurpose water systems

Abstract. Participatory decision-making is a well-established approach to address the increasing pressure on water systems induced by growing multi-sectoral demands and increased competition among different users. However, most existing approaches search for system-wise efficient solutions do not quantify their distributional effect stakeholders. In this work, we investigate how operationalize equity principles design improved operations that better balance efficiency justice. More specifically, explore extent which inclusion of reshapes space solutions. Numerical experiments are conducted Lake Como system, Italy, operated primarily flood control irrigation supply while also providing recreation river ecosystem services. Our results show incorporating considerations into system enriches solution generating more compromise than those obtained using traditional multi-objective optimization. Moreover, find including in operating policy can indirectly improve performance marginalized sectors, such as ecosystem, explicitly considered current lake operation. Lastly, illustrate aggregation interests an index strongly shapes our results. Thus, eliciting preference structure stakeholders policymakers becomes paramount identification fair across competing interests. This work bridges gap between optimization equity-informed real-world resources planning management, effective tool promote equitable policies.