Leopold matrix

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The Leopold matrix is a qualitative

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 which was criticized for lacking adequate guidance for government agencies on how to properly predict potential environmental impacts and consequently prepare impact reports.[1]

An Example Showing the Location of Magnitude and Importance Values in a Leopold Matrix Cell

The system consists of a grid of 100 rows representing the possible project activities on the horizontal axis and 88 columns representing environmental factors on the vertical axis, for a total of 8800 possible interactions.[1] In practice, only a select few (25-50) of these interactions are likely to be of sufficient importance to be thoroughly considered.[1] Where an impact is expected, the appropriate cell of the matrix is split diagonally from the top right corner to the bottom left corner in order for the magnitude and importance of each interaction to be recorded.[2] The magnitude (from -10 to +10) is inserted on the top-left diagonal and the importance (from 1 to 10) is inserted on the bottom-right diagonal.[1] Measurements of magnitude and importance tend to be related, but do not necessarily directly correlate. Magnitude can be measured more tangibly in terms of how much area is affected by the development or how severely, however, the importance is a more subjective measurement. While a proposed development may have a large impact in terms of magnitude, the effects it causes may not actually significantly affect the environment as a whole. The example given by author Luna Leopold is of a stream that significantly alters the erosion patterns in a specific area, which may be scored highly in terms of magnitude but may not be necessarily significant, provided the stream in question is swift-moving and transports large amounts of sediment regardless.[1] In this case, an impact of significant magnitude may not actually be important to the environment in question.

Strengths

As outlined by the original authors, the matrix provides a structured framework for practitioners of environmental impact assessment to systematically rank potential significant environmental cause-and-effect relationships.[1] A structured approach avoids the downsides of less organized ad hoc approaches to impact prediction in which impacts can be either underestimated or completely overlooked.[3] Additionally, the grid format allows for a visual display of results that can be easily understood by policymakers and the public.[4][5] The matrix is also capable of expanding and contracting based on the scope and environmental context of any given undertaking, rendering it functional for both large and small-scale projects.[2] Finally, it is beneficial to practitioners that the tool can be applied at various temporal stages of the environmental impact assessment process.[6]

Criticisms

One of the fundamental downfalls of the method is the lack of criteria or standard methods for assigning magnitude and significance values which may lead to subjective judgements.

cumulative impacts which are often significant considerations in environmental impact assessment.[17][18][19] Another area that the method can be deficient in is having a mechanism capable of distinguishing between long-term impacts and short-term impacts.[20][21][22] Due to the presentation of completed matrices, the method has also been identified as treating interactions as though they are certain to occur, with no consideration of probability.[17]

Examples of Leopold Matrix Implementation

  • Gonabad landfill; a study conducted to evaluate the environmental effects of a municipal waste landfill site.[23]
  • Vojvodina ecological network; an assessment of the influences of anthropogenic factors on an ecological network (salt steppes, marshes, etc.).[24]
  • Karbala water projects; a study on seven drinking water treatment facilities based on physio-chemical properties.[25]
  • Binh Thuan desertification; an assessment of the potential desertification effects and subsequent impacts on socio-economic conditions and water availability.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Leopold, Luna Bergere; Clarke, Frank Eldridge; Hanshaw, Bruce B.; Balsley, James R. (1971). "A Procedure for Evaluating Environmental Impact". Washington, D.C.: 19 – via U.S. Geological Survey. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^
    OCLC 1153262303
    .
  3. ^ Environmental Impact Assessment for Developing Countries in Asia. Asian Development Bank. 1997-12-01.
  4. OCLC 1246578449.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  5. OCLC 1102806782
    .
  6. ^
    OCLC 990802553.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  7. OCLC 319298237.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  8. OCLC 185040378
    .
  9. OCLC 1154563861
    .
  10. OCLC 45860278.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  11. JSTOR 23284628
    .
  12. ISBN 978-1-118-68557-0
  13. OCLC 38294546.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  14. OCLC 435376013
    .
  15. ISBN 9781317900108
    .
  16. OCLC 1020318892.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  17. ^
    OCLC 60559255
    .
  18. OCLC 52216286
    .
  19. OCLC 1051352223.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  20. ISBN 978-3-540-00268-0
    , retrieved 2021-11-15
  21. OCLC 1242466181.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  22. OCLC 311307339
    .
  23. PMID 28465797
    .
  24. doi:10.2298/abs150303097k
    .
  25. S2CID 213207854
    .
  26. S2CID 128966076
    .
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