Impact assessment

methods

Some desirable characteristics of an EIA

method selected for usage include
It should be appropriate to the necessary task, such as
impact identification or comparison of alternatives
It should be sufficiently free from assessor bias, i.e the
result should be essentially reproducible from one
assessor group to another
It should be economical in terms of cost, requirement of
data, investigation time, personnel, equipment and
facilities

Available methods are divided into

five main categories
1. Ad hoc Methods
2. Overlay Techniques
3. Checklists
4. Matrices
5. Networks

Ad hoc methods
Ad hoc methods are not really methods as they do not structure the
problem so it is more amenable to systematic analysis.
A good example of an ad hoc method is a team of experts assembled
for a short time to conduct an EIA. Each expert's conclusions are
based on a unique combination of experience, training and intuition.
These conclusions are assembled into a report. Sometimes this is the
only required or possible approach. In other instances, when more
scientific methods are available, it is not sufficient to rely on ad hoc
methods
Broad qualitative information about factors useful in the comparative
evaluation of alternative development actions is presented.

 The information is stated in simple terms that are

readily understood by the lay person.
No information about the cause-effect relationship
between project actions and environmental components
is provided.
The actual impacts on specific environmental
components likely to be affected by the project or those
that may require further investigation are not identified.
The method merely presents the pertinent information
without resorting to any relative weighting of
importance.

This method is very easy to use, but

does have a few drawbacks
it may not encompass all the relevant impacts;
because the criteria used to evaluate impacts are not comparable,
the relative weights of various impacts cannot be compared;
it is inherently inefficient as it requires sizeable effort to identify
and assemble an appropriate panel of experts for each
assessment; and
it provides minimal guidance for impact analysis while suggesting
broad areas of possible impacts

Checklist Methodologies
Checklist means listing out potential environmental
impacts
The listing is normally done category wise i.e. in
structured form
This is used to assess the nature of the impact ,i.e. its
type such as adverse or beneficial ,short term or long
term ,no effect or significant impact , reversible or
irreversible, etc.
It involves important weighting for factors and the
application for scaling techniques for impacts on each
alternative on each factors

There are several major reasons for using checklists:

they are useful in summarizing information to make it

accessible to specialists from other fields, or to decision
makers who may have a limited amount of technical
knowledge;
scaling checklists provide a preliminary level of analysis;
and
weighting is a mechanism for incorporating information
about ecosystem functions

Some of the problems with checklists when used as an impact assessment

method:

1. they are too general or incomplete;

2. they do not illustrate interactions between effects;
3. the number of categories to be reviewed can be
immense, thus distracting from the most significant
impacts; and
4. the identification of effects is qualitative and
subjective.

Checklists are of two types

1. Simple Checklists
2. Descriptive Checklists

Simple Checklists
They were extensively used in the initial years of the
NEPA
They represent a valid approach for providing
systemization of an EIS
They represent list of environmental factors to be
addressed
There will be no information regarding specific data
needs, methods for measurement or impact prediction

Descriptive Checklist
Its a widely used environmental impact study
Includes an identification of environmental
parameters , guidelines on how to measure data on
particular parameters ,impact prediction and
assessment
They address social impacts, economic impacts,
physical impacts

Summary observations on Simple

and descriptive checklists
Published agency checklists represent the collective
professional knowledge and judgment of their
developers;hence,they have professional credibility and
usability
Checklists provide structured approach for identifying
key impacts or pertinent environmental factors for
consideration in impact studies.
Checklists can be used to stimulate interdisciplinaryteam discussions during the planning, conduction and

 In using a checklist it is important to carefully define the

utilized spatial boundaries and environmental factors. Any
special impact codes or terminology used within the
checklists should also be defined
Documentation of the rational basics to identifying key
factors should be accomplished
Impacts from checklist can be grouped together to
demonstarate secondary and tertiary impacts

 Important weights could be assigned to key

environmental factors or impacts
Key impacts which should be mitigated through
systematic usage of checklists

Overlay Method
This method rely on a set of maps of a project areas
environmental characteristics covering physical,social,ecological
and asthetic aspects
The maps are then overlaid to produce comprehensive description
of the areas environment
Impacts are then identified by comparing areas characteristics
with larger area or region as whole
Computer program can be used to overlay maps

 An overlay is based on a set of transparent maps, each of which

represents the spatial distribution of an environmental characteristic
(for example, susceptibility to erosion). Information for an array of
variables is collected for standard geographical units within the
study area, and recorded on a series of maps, typically one for each
variable
These maps are overlaid to produce a composite
The resulting composite maps characterize the areas physical,
social, ecological, land use and other relevant characteristics,
relative to the location of the proposed development.

 To investigate the degree of associated impacts, any

number of project alternatives can be located on the final
map.
The validity of the analysis is related to the type and
number of parameters chosen.
For a readable composite map, the number of
parameters in a transparency overlay is limited to about
ten.

 These methods are used in at least two ways in impact

assessment. One way is to use before and after maps to
assess visually the changes to the landscape. The other
way is to combine mapping with an analysis of sensitive
areas or ecological carrying capacity.

When used in this latter way, constraints on the level

of development are set on the basis of limits
determined by the location of sensitive areas and by
assessments of carrying capacity.

These methods are spatially oriented and are capable

Their limitations relate to:

1) lack of causal explanation of impact pathways; and
2)lack of predictive capability with respect to population
effects

Matrix methods
Its one of the earliest type of EIA methodologies
Project action or activities are in one axis and
appropriate environmental factors are listed along
other axis of matrix
When a given activity is expected to cause a change in
environmental factors ,this is noted at the intersection
point in the matrix and further described in terms of
separate and importance considerations

Two types of matrix methods

1. Simple matrix or Leopold Matrix
2. Stepped Matrix or Cross impact matrix

Leopold Matrix
Each action and its potential for creating an impact on each
environmental item should be considered
Where impact is anticipated , the matrix is marked with a diagonal
line in the appropriate interaction box
The second step shows interaction between magnitude and
importance
The magnitude of an interaction is represented by numerical scale
from 1 to 10

 Assignment of a numerical value for the magnitude of

interaction should be based on an objective evaluation of facts
related to anticipated impact
The importance of an interaction is related to its significance or
an assessment of the probable consequences of the
anticipated impact
Assignment of a numerical importance value is based on
subjective judgement of the individual, small group, or
interdisciplinary team working on the study

 Summation of the number of rows and columns

designated as having interactions can offer insights into
impact assessment
The number of actions can be increased or decreased
The advantage is that its very useful as gross screening
tool for impact identification purposes and it can
provide valuable means for impact communication by
providing visual display of the impacted items and the
major items causing impacts

Development of Simple Matrix

List all anticipated project actions and group them
according to temporal phase, such as construction,
operation and post-operation
List all the pertinent environmental factors from the
environmental settings and group them
1. according to physical-chemical, biological, cultural and
socio-economic categories
2. Based on spatial considerations such as site and region

 Discuss the preliminary matrix with study team

members or advisory team or study manager
Decide the impact-rating scheme (numbers, letters or
colors) to be used
Talk through the matrix as a team and make ratings and
notes in order to identify and summarize impacts

Stepped Matrix
In this matrix environmental factors are displayed against other
environmental factors
The consequences of initial change in some factor on other factors
can be displayed
They facilitate tracing of impacts and the recognition of the
environment as a system
Stepped matrix with multiple actions and several types and levels
of impact can become visually complicated

For the given figure

Action 3 impacts factor D then causes changes in A and
F
Finally change in factor A causes changes in factor B
and I
While changes in factor F causes changes in Factor H

Network Methodologies
They are those methodologies which integrate impact
causes and consequences through identifying
interrelationships between casual actions and the
impacted environmental factors
Several Illustrations of networks is known as Sequence
diagrams
In network ,initiating action is shown on the left, with
other casual actions and impacted factors

 Network analysis are useful for identifying anticipated

impacts associated with potential projects
It also aids in organizing the discussion of anticipated
project impacts
These are useful in communicating information about
an environmental impact study to the public

Limitations are
Minimal information is provided in technical aspects of
impact prediction and the means for comparatively
evaluating the impacts of alternative
It can be visually complicated