Drawings to Evoke Decision-Making

A Project to Determine Compelling Representations in a Geodesign Project

Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS)

This project evokes stakeholder-defined key issues and solutions depicted as representations addressed within a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project in Idaho’s Magic Valley. Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS) is an interdisciplinary research initiative seeking to address issues concerning drought, water demand, water quality, and food security by using a stakeholder-driven Geodesign framework (Steinitz, 2012)

Project Goals

A) Analyze the project conditions & issues from MULTIPLE SCALES

B) Utilize a FRAMEWORK which can understand and ITERATIVELY design for the PLACE and the PEOPLE who live there

C) Understand and develop compelling tools to ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS and the PEOPLE OF A PLACE

INFEWS: Complex Systems

A complex system requires a complex process. In this webinar, you will see various representations to further our understandings of the system and plausible scenarios for the future of Magic Valley. These scenarios have been created and revised by the INFEWS Stakeholder group.


SCENARIOS


BUSINESS AS USUAL

a) Consistent ground and surface water supply​

b) Food prices and demand are high​

c) Agriculture has economic advantage over other land uses​

d) Moderate increase in demand for water ​

e) Increase in residential development​

f) MV Produces food for the nation​

g) Emphasis on agricultural efficiency​

h) Increase in agricultural processors​

Dairy Cows 497,707

Population - 121,141

MEGADROUGHT

a) Drought is the new normal – extreme regional drought​

b) Lowest water supply since statehood​

c) Food produced in MV stays within the region​

d) Increase in municipal water demand– high populations areas are prioritized​

e) Irrigated agriculture land is left fallow or sold and converted to other uses​

f) Alternative industries relocate to MV​

g) Innovative water reuse strategies are developed​

h) Water quality regulations have expanded​

THE COURT CALLS

a) Short water years have increased slightly​

b) Redefinition of “first in time, first in right”​

c) Short water years have increased slightly​

d) Redefinition of “first in time, first in right”​

e) Limited water supply, high demand for water​

f) Consistent dairy production – row crops transition to forage crops​

g) Fringe farms grow low-water crops or lay fallow​

h) Increased population growth – small lot sizes​

i) Agricultural land converts to industrial uses​

Presentation

Business as Usual

The Court Calls

Locavore

Population Boom

MegaDrought

Happy Valley


SOLUTIONS


KEY TAKE AWAYS

A)  Analyze the project conditions & issues from MULTIPLE SCALES

B)  Utilize a FRAMEWORK which can understand and ITERATIVELY design for the PLACE and the PEOPLE who live there

C) Understand and develop compelling tools to ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS and the PEOPLE OF A PLACE

Presentation Prepared by:

Daniel Cronan, MLA & Jamie Trammell, PhD

INFEWS NSF Award 1639524

Center for Resilient Communities (CRC)