Hydrologic Considerations in Decision Analyses for Reclaiming Strip Mine Land in the Southwest

摘要

A multiattribute utility function is used to model preferences on outcomes of alternative reclamation schemes for stripmined lands, using Arizona and Wyoming examples. Each scheme should at least help restore land to its premining value, and is composed of three sets of actions: mining operations, preparations for postmining land use, and mitigating actions. Grazing and runoff augmentation are examples of postmining land use goals, and mitigating actions may be measures to protect the environment like pollution control in runoff or infiltration. Conflicting objectives are involved, including the maintenance of sufficient coal production, the alleviation of detrimental environmental effects, and the minimization of loss. A multiobjective decision-making scheme under uncertainty is set up to analyze the problem. The decision model ranks alternative reclamation schemes on the basis of the preference function of a group decision maker.