Satellite view of the Columbia River delta between western Washington state and Oregon, United States.

Photo: Sunset Avenue Productions / Getty Images

Many regions face increasingly formidable freshwater management challenges, grappling with issues such as allocation of limited water resources, environmental quality and policies for sustainable water use. Conventional supply-oriented simulation models are not always adequate.

WEAP incorporates an integrated approach to water development into a practical tool for water resources planning, encompassing demand-side issues, water quality and ecosystem preservation and protection. It places water demand – water use patterns, equipment efficiencies, reuse, costs and allocation – on an equal footing with the supply side – streamflow, groundwater, reservoirs and water transfers. WEAP is a laboratory for examining alternative water development and management strategies.

Learn more in our latest WEAP fact sheet.