The NSWA-ALCES© cumulative effects assessment project is intended to simulate the effects of major land uses in the watershed (agriculture, forestry, urban, and petrochemical industry) on specific watershed “values” (i.e., biodiversity, landscape integrity, water quality, and water quantity) over a 100 years.
The assessment evaluated four scenarios of potential development:
1. Business-as-usual: population growth and development rates characteristic of the last 10 years.
2. Business-as-expected: lower rates of population growth and development.
3. Best Practices and Green Cities: lower rates of growth, reduced sprawl and reduced run-off of stormwater and pollutants as a result of best practices.
4. Best Practices, Green Cities, and Climate Change: including effects of predicted changes in temperature and precipitation from climate models.