Economic Decision Guide Software (EDGe$) Case Study: Droughts in Riverside County, California

Published

June 30, 2026

Author(s)

Jennifer Helgeson, Anabel Sha

Abstract

This study uses the Economic Decision Guide Software (EDGe$) Online Tool to evaluate a use case involving three potential drought resilience strategies in Riverside County, California: 1. urban landscape conversion, 2. stormwater capture and reuse, and 3. purple pipe water recycling. The analysis relies on publicly available data to compare the costs, benefits (non-disaster and disaster-related), and externalities of each investment over a 20-year period. Results show that urban landscape conversion provides the highest overall return. These findings highlight the value of accounting for non-disaster benefits and externalities in economic evaluations of resilience projects with a use case addressing slow and persistent stressors based on weather extremes, e.g., drought conditions. The study shows how tools like EDGe$ can support informed decision-making by helping communities compare costs and benefits when planning for drought resilience.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 1349

Report Number

1349

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1349

Local Download

Keywords

Benefit-cost analysis, drought resilience, economic analysis, economic decision tool, externalities, resilience planning, stormwater capture, urban landscape conversion, water recycling

Citation

Helgeson, J. and Sha, A. (2026), Economic Decision Guide Software (EDGe$) Case Study: Droughts in Riverside County, California, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1349, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=961546 (Accessed July 16, 2026)

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