...
Reducing
...
complexity
...
The
...
development
...
of
...
a
...
Conceptual
...
Model
...
for
...
the
...
megasite
...
is
...
a
...
crucial
...
step
...
of
...
the
...
Integrated
...
Management
...
Strategy
...
(IMS).
...
It
...
is
...
the
...
simplified,
...
schematic
...
representation
...
of
...
the
...
megasite,
...
which
...
includes
...
a
...
source-pathway-receptor
...
approach,
...
as
...
well
...
as
...
the
...
main
...
characteristics
...
of
...
the
...
risk-based
...
management
...
approach.
...
It
...
therefore
...
represents
...
a
...
working
...
model
...
under
...
continuous
...
development
...
in
...
the
...
subsequent
...
sections
...
of
...
the
...
IMS.
...
At
...
this
...
stage
...
only
...
the
...
basic
...
information
...
already
...
available
...
should
...
be
...
used.
...
Most
...
of
...
the
...
knowledge
...
needed
...
for
...
the
...
conceptual
...
model
...
build-up
...
is
...
obtained
...
mainly
...
through
...
expert
...
judgment
...
instead
...
of
...
data
...
files
...
and
...
megasite
...
databases
...
(see:
...
Starting
...
IMS
...
->
...
Inventory
...
of
...
information).
...
The
...
conceptual
...
model
...
is
...
developed
...
to
...
obtain
...
a
...
first
...
insight
...
into
...
the
...
associated
...
risks
...
and
...
possible
...
scope
...
of
...
the
...
problem
...
and
...
to
...
help
...
define
...
general
...
priorities
...
within
...
the
...
megasite
...
(see
...
figure
...
below).
...
The
...
conceptual
...
model
...
should
...
be
...
regarded
...
as
...
a
...
representative
...
tool
...
for
...
discussions
...
with
...
the
...
stakeholders
...
about
...
the
...
IMS
...
and,
...
as
...
a
...
consequence,
...
about
...
the
...
determination
...
of
...
the
...
preliminary
...
boundaries
...
for
...
the
...
Risk
...
Management
...
Zone
...
(RMZ),
...
further
...
actions,
...
management
...
scenarios
...
and
...
investments.
...
(see:
...
Risk
...
assessment
...
->
...
Megasite
...
characterization).
...
Output
The output of this step is the conceptual model for the megasite that assists in understanding the relevant environmental problems.