DECISION SUPPORT MODEL SYSTEMS FOR REGIONAL WATER POLICIES IN OPEN-PIT LIGNITE MINING AREAS.

The impact of open-pit lignite mining on water resources creates significant conflicts between different interest groups, such as the mining industry, water supply agencies, and agriculture in the mining region. The activities of each of the interest groups modify the water resources system and at the same time the conditions for resources use by other groups. Consequently, there is an apparent need for the analysis of regional water policies to reconcile the conflicting interests within such socio-economic environmental systems. On that, a collaborative study between the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Research Institutes in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Poland is directed. Starting with a description of the main conflicts in open-pit lignite mining areas the necessity of appropriate decision support model systems is substantiated. The paper outlines the state-of-the-art of such systems and the requirements for their further development. Finally, a decision support model system for a case region in the GDR is presented.