Integrated assessment of the environmental, economic and social impacts of land use change using a GIS format – the CLUES model

The CLUES model is an integrated catchment based model that designed to assist policy makers in understanding the implications of land use scenarios for water quality and a range of other indicators. CLUES integrates a number of existing models from several research providers, including SPARROW (catchment hydrology), OVERSEER and SPASMO (nutrient losses), ENSUS (nitrate leaching risk), and a socioeconomic model. These are combined in a GIS framework which allows scenarios of land use to be assessed in a spatial manner. Regional council staff have been trained in its use, and the model is under ongoing development in response to feedback from users. This paper discusses the overall framework of the CLUES model, and discusses in greater depth the socio-economic components and their integration with the biophysical models.