Integration of analytic hierarchy process and weighted goal programming for landuse optimization at the watershed scale

In recent decades, the Hulu Langat Basin in Malaysia has been exposed to extensive changes in land use pattern and consequently hydrological conditions. Maintaining a reasonable balance between environmental currents and governmental/population demands is a di cult task. In this work, 3 land use scenarios were de ned, which are the present (baseline), future, and water conservation plans. Weighted goal programming (WGP), integrated with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), was used to optimize the baseline land use scenario with consideration of water conservation outcomes and future development trend. Three types of objectives were involved in the AHP-WGP approach, i.e. social, economic, and environmental. The values of environmental objectives were estimated using the optimized Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Four planning alternatives were de ned and formulated, i.e. A1, A2, B1, and B2. The AHP-WGP approach resulted in 4 optimized land development alternatives. In terms of the water conservation objective, alternatives A1 and B1 were more desirable than alternatives A2 and B2, respectively. However, due to the existing socioeconomic-environmental circumstances within the Hulu Langat Basin, alternatives B1 and B2 were more appropriate.