This book compiles case studies of systems analysis applications in environmental and water resources engineering that can be used as supplemental material for graduate and upper undergraduate courses on this topic. The book is prepared by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Task Committee on Environmental and Water Resources Systems Education.
The book contains eight case studies and one discussion of multiple mini-cases from the existing literature, in addition to the introductory and ending sections. Case studies presented in the text are supplemented by computer software and data that are available from the ASCE web site (http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784412879.fm, last accessed 12 December, 2014).
The presented case studies include the following eight water resources engineering problems: analysis of combined sewer overflow, flood control, agricultural water supply, water quality management, complex water resources management policy analysis, water dispute resolution, urban water management, reservoir management and rural water supply. The presentation of the case studies follows the same format including background, description of the model, assignment and set of references. The book’s appendix includes notes for instructors.
The provided software support comes in various forms: MACRO routing model written in Fortran; linear programming solver available with Microsoft Excel; multiobjective evolutionary algorithm NSGAII; Bacteria Loading Estimator (BLEST) spreadsheet; network flow optimization Hydrologic Engineering Centre (HEC)-ResPRM; OASIS routing simulation that is based on the linear programming algorithm; Excel load simulation integrated with Storm Water Investment Strategy Evaluation (StormWISE) optimization using Excel solver; Water evaluation and planning (WEAP) model; and LINGO linear programming software package. Testing of all the case studies took some effort, but the provided data files and the software use instructions at the end were sufficient for the author of this review.
The publication provides a useful source of material that can be used with some of the courses in this field. However, it is very clear that the background information provided with each case study, provides a sufficient introduction to neither the engineering problem, nor the systems analysis approach being used. In that sense, this publication cannot stand on its own. For almost every case study, the reader will need a serious pre-exposure to the problem domain being addressed, as well as the systems analysis technique being used. For someone with 30 or so years of experience in this field, I see some benefits from having this book. On the other hand, my main concern is that the book may be used by students only to figure out how to make the software work, and solve the assigned problems. In that case, the book may do more damage than good.
There is value in teaching with case studies. This book may be useful if used as the source of one case study for one course (for example, a flood control case study for a course on flood management). It would be almost impossible to use all the case studies in support for one water resources systems analysis course.
I would suggest this book as useful supplemental material for instructors of water resources management courses, and would be very careful in using the book and software with undergraduate and graduate students in water resources systems analysis.
University of Western Ontario
© 2015 Canadian Water Resources Association
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07011784.2014.998290