Validation of a model appropriateness framework using the Elbe decision support system

This paper describes validation of an appropriateness framework, which has been developed in a former study, to determine appropriate models under uncertainty in a decision support system for river basin management. Models are regarded as ‘appropriate’ if they produce final outputs within adequate uncertainty bands that enable decision-makers to distinguish or rank different river engineering measures. The appropriateness framework has been designed as a tool to stimulate the use of models in decisionmaking under uncertainty and to strengthen the communication between modelers and decision-makers. Through the application to a different river with different objectives in this validation study from the river used in the development stage, this paper investigates whether the appropriateness framework works in a different situation than it was designed for. Recommendations from the development stage are taken into account in this validation case study as well. The final results from the study showed a successful validation of the appropriateness framework and suggested further possibilities for the application in decision support systems for river basin management.