Dam Decision Support Tool

The Dam Toolbox, collaboratively developed by researchers on the NSF-EPSCoR Future of Dams project, is designed to: a) support user learning about a set of specific dam sites on the Penobscot River; b) capture user preference information about decision criteria (e.g., annuitized project cost, sea-run fish habitat area, annual hydropower generation, etc.) and decision alternatives (e.g., remove dam, increase hydropower capacity, etc.); c) rank potential decision alternatives at each dam site based on the combination of user-defined preference information and site-specific data; d) explore multi-dam decision scenarios based on site-specific data and user preferences; and e) visually represent the user’s decision recommendation with graphs. We envision the Dam Decision Support Tool supporting decision makers (e.g., regulators, municipalities, NGOs) as they consider possible dam futures.