Maximizing the Value of Natural Assets and Green Infrastructure at the Watershed Scale

This research will advance the implementation and management of natural asset systems across the One Water cycle by developing a credible and effective approach to natural asset management that allows utilities to:

• Quantify and monetize the non-market services, including the financial, social, and environmental benefits, provided by natural assets and green infrastructure systems.

• Develop appropriate assessment metrics and establish related level of service (LOS) targets and accounting frameworks that put natural systems on an equal footing with built infrastructure.

The application of asset management principles to natural systems will help utilities better manage the condition and performance of these assets, make informed decisions about how to allocate resources across their entire asset portfolio, attract investors, and maximize the financial, social, and environmental benefits associated with water management decisions.