4.1: Coordination and Cooperation

Improve coordination and cooperation in the management of water resources in the Basin.

Other Information:

This Goal cuts across all of the Key Result Areas encompassed in this Plan. There is not one single “cookie-cutter” approach to improving coordination and cooperation among the many agencies, businesses, elected officials, nonprofit organizations and individuals who play a part in managing the Basin’s water resources. For each area of research, planning, policy, management or decision-making that this Plan addresses, several steps must be taken to improve coordination and cooperation. The details of how to deal with each of the issues described below varies with the particulars of each area. Defining the key players whose efforts must be coordinated. The list may include both Federal and state agencies, local units of government, business and industry, research institutions, and citizen groups. When identifying key players, it is important not to neglect stakeholders whose perspectives may not be reflected by the existing decision-making structure. Coordination must take place both as collaboration across different areas of interest (horizontally) and as alignment within a single institution or hierarchy of institutions (vertically). Identifying the relevant policies, laws, regulations and planning or permitting processes which need to be better aligned, made more consistent, or otherwise coordinated. Conflicts among plans, laws, or regulatory regimes may reflect real differences in objectives, as well as lack of communication. This Plan and its Guiding Principles are intended to help overcome these differences. Creating a vehicle for collaboration that can bring the key players together. Depending upon the players involved and the plans, regulations, or activities to be coordinated, this may take the form of a collaborative planning process with a defined objective and deadline e.g., a technical working group that convenes periodically or an advisory committee that reports to a lead agency. Not all players may be on an equal footing with respect to resources and responsibility. Consequently, when establishing partnerships or collaborative efforts, it is important to take into account the constraints and costs of individual contribution to ensure effective participation by all parties.

Objective(s):

4.1.A: Shared Water Quality Standards

4.1.B: State Water Quality Standards

4.1.C: Basin-wide Monitoriing

4.1.D: Fish, Shellfish and Public Health

4.1.E: Recreation

4.1.F: Drought

4.1.G: Watershed Programs and Processes

4.1.H: Stormwater Management

4.1.I: Water Resource Planning

4.1.J: Coastal Zone Management

4.1.K: Invasive Species

4.1.L: Flood Mitigation Funding

4.1.M: Watershed-based Trading

Content