Title: An integrated decision aid system for the development of Saint Charles River alluvial plain, Quebec, Canada

Authors: Nadine J. Martin, Benoit St Onge, Jean-Philippe Waaub

Addresses: Group of Interdisciplinary Studies in Geography and Regional Environment (GEIGER), Department of Geography, Quebec University in Montreal, Montreal (Quebec), H3C 3P8, Canada. Group of Interdisciplinary Studies in Geography and Regional Environment (GEIGER), Department of Geography, Quebec University in Montreal, Montreal (Quebec), H3C 3P8, Canada. Group of Interdisciplinary Studies in Geography and Regional Environment (GEIGER), Department of Geography, Quebec University in Montreal, Montreal (Quebec), H3C 3P8, Canada

Abstract: We describe an integrated decision aid system designed to assist land-use planning and management of the alluvial plain of Saint Charles River, Quebec. The first stages of the development of the system consisted in building a georeferenced database managed by a geographical information system (GIS), and to elaborate eight different development scenarios along the Saint Charles River in a multiple decision-maker context. Multicriteria analysis (MCA) was then used to evaluate and compare the scenarios according to eleven criteria, using a combination of GIS analysis with Mapinfo and multicriteria processing carried out in PROMCALC & GAIA 3.5. This process leads to a partial ranking (PROMETHEE I) and a complete ranking of the scenarios (PROMETHEE II) for each individual decision-maker as well as for the whole group. We show that this approach helps multiple decision-makers to reach rational decisions based on scientific data and political considerations.

Keywords: ecological mapping; geographical information systems; multicriteria analysis; multiple decision-makers; PROMETHEE; regional development; watershed.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.1999.002296

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 1999 Vol.12 No.2/3, pp.264-279

Published online: 15 Aug 2003 *

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