Comprehensive technologies and decision-making: Reflections on the instream flow incremental methodology

The controversy surrounding the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology is briefly discussed. A 1968 article by James Schlesinger on the likely success of systems analysis in aiding decision-makers is used to illustrate some pitfalls involving comprehensive technologies. The lessons of systems analysis are drawn together with the literature on instream flow methods to illustrate that there is no one best way to perform an instream flow analysis. It is argued that technology should be employed only with an extensive knowledge of assumptions and purposes.