The method of applying constraints across a generally extensible and configurable resource delivery system as a basis for identifying or calculating the relative impacts of each constraint on resource delivery to various points and, through the use of constraint release mechanisms, developing prescriptive courses of action to optimize and increase the certainty of delivery of the resource, or in the reverse sense, restrict delivery of the resource. In an embodiment of the present invention, a method for characterizing the availability and potential use of water resources alongside associated impacts in order to identify and time the various policy decisions and investments needed to ensure access to water supplies over time given multiple stakeholders and uncertain, variable supplies and demands where such embodiment provides additional methods generally applicable across the full scope of embodiments of the invention.