Foreword
This White Paper presents a multidisciplinary decision-making process for the development of dams and reservoirs, focusing on public involvement and the analysis of alternatives. The development of dams and reservoirs generally requires a major investment of public resources, involving both financial and natural resources. Successful decision-making and credible project planning need to be founded on the values of equity, efficiency, accountability, sustainability and participatory decision-making.
The document defines and describes the major elements of a decision-making process for selection of an alternative that will successfully achieve a given societal need and purpose with an efficient investment of resources. The planning process described promotes the stewardship and sustainability of public resources in the development of dams and reservoirs.
The authors acknowledge and express their appreciation to the USSD Committee on Public Awareness for their review and guidance in the preparation of this White Paper; to the San Diego County Water Authority for the use of its Emergency Storage Project as a case example; to C.V.J. Varma, President of the International Commission on Large Dams, whose address to the 22nd Annual USSD Conference helped form the introductory sections of the White Paper; and to their colleagues on the Emergency Storage Project planning team: Ulrich Kappus, Keith A. Ferguson, Sara Katz, Rebecca Cole, Richard Pyle, Mary Putnam, Katherine Hon, Skip Hull and Matt Tebbetts.
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White Paper Authors
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Thomas O. Keller, Principal
GEI Consultants, Inc.
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Kenneth A. Steele, Principal Engineer
San Diego County Water Authority
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Patricia A. Tennyson, Vice President
Katz & Associates, Inc.
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Jack L. White, Vice President/Principal
EDAW, Inc.
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Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Values and Importance
1.2. Scope
1.3. Organization
2. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
2.1. Stakeholder Participation
2.2. Basic Principles of a Public Involvement Program
2.3. Public Involvement Goals/Objectives
2.4. An Example of Public Involvement Tools and Methods
2.5. Keys to Success
3. PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE
3.1. Assessment of Need
3.2. Establishment of Purpose
4. ALTERNATIVES FORMULATION
4.1. Identification of Study Area Boundaries
4.2. Identification of Potential Project Elements
4.3. Development of Alternatives Selection Criteria
4.4. Data Collection
4.5. Initial Identification of Alternatives
4.6. Refinement of Alternatives Descriptions
5. SCREENING OF ALTERNATIVES
5.1. Screening Purpose and Process
5.2. Framework for Screening
5.3. Scoring Each Alternative
5.4. Comparison of Alternatives
5.5. Value of Multiple Screening Stages
5.6. Public Involvement in Screening Process
6. THE FINAL DECISION
7. ACCOUNTABILITY OF PLANNING COMMITMENTS DURING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
8. SUMMARY
9. REFERENCES AND CITED MATERIALS
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