Systems Analysis, TMDLs and Watershed Approach

Systems analysis or the ‘‘systems approach’’ has been with us in one form or another since the 1940s. It has never been welldefined, but its main features were best described by Churchman ~1968!. He defined a system as a ‘‘set of parts coordinated to accomplish a set of goals’’ and further identified the following factors that must be considered when the systems approach is applied to a problem: 1. Objectives, or performance measures; 2. System environment or fixed constraints, 3. System resources, 4. Components, and 5. Management.