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Development and use of information about a target audience

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Mahler, R., Simmons, R., & Sorensen, F. (2005) Finding 1

To craft a water outreach program, determine public interests in advance by gathering information about the following, and how those opinions might be influenced by age, sex, length of residence in the state, community size:

  • opinion of local groundwater quality;
  • personal efforts to enhance groundwater quality or quantity (by reducing chemical usage in yards, recycling used motor oil, correctly disposing of household chemicals, use of water-saving applicances, reduced household water use, reduced water use in yards, reduced water use in car washing);
  • who should be responsible for protecting water quality in communitites (federal government, state government, county/city/town, individual citizen);
  • how rural residents prefer to be informed about water;
  • where residents have gotten information; and
  • what sources of information might have changed their behavior.

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Lankford, B., van Koppen, B., Franks, T., & Mahoo, H. (2004) Finding 1

To improve integrated water resource management by addressing existing views held by various local entities and insufficient involvement of outside researchers in local decision making process, scientists need to work on two key fronts:

  • Action research, which involves various aspects of the research spectrum; conducting studies and assessments; and resetting research questions in the light of new knowledge;
  • Action advising, which strives to encompass various dimentions of policy making, involve various groups of stakeholders and identify the influential ones, provide advice throughout the policy making process and alter advice in the light of new experience.

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Lamoree, G. B., Garcia, L. E., Perez, R., & Castro, E. (2005) Finding 1

Capable institutions are an essential element of effective integrated water resource management.  An institutional assessment process investigating policy, organizational and operational elements, are effective tools when designed and analyzed by stakeholders.  Assessment criteria include:

  • a decision-making capacity at the basin level that reflects the interests of different uses and users;
  • a clear and administratively detailed regulatory framework with criteria for decision making;
  • a monitoring and information system for water resources information;
  • a system that allows development and analysis of different scenarios for water use and effluent discharges;
  • effective and transparent accountability through a stakeholder participation mechanism;
  • enforcement and sanctioning power;
  • representation of water used interests and liaison with river basin management institutions;
  • effective control of service providers;
  • cost recovery by service providers and a system that allows market incentives for efficient allocation.

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Habron, G. B., Kaplowitz, M. D., & Levine, R. L. (2004) Finding 1

Capture the social dynamics of grounds maintenance operations units including social, physical, and environmental responses to watershed management concerns to reveal key decision-making points in the system. Develop a framework of these dynamics, to illustrate activities needed to implement sustainable watershed and environmental management at large institutions. Continue reading →

Habron, G. (2004) Finding 1

In developing conservation programs, planners should not assume homogeneity of landowners. Uniform solutions might not apply. Motivation variables differ according to the specific conservation practice. In Oregon, those who adopted conservation practices in watersheds were characterized by several variables:

  • those using irrigation practiced riparian management
  • shared management decisions with a spouse
  • information networking (i.e., landowners who desired more information regarding the landowner survey)
  • belief in scientific experimentation on private lands, and a tendency to tell other landowners about conservation decisions.

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Gearey, M., & Jeffrey, P. (2005) Finding 1

Use audience assessment strategies to identify which, if any, water and watershed governance strategies interest households and landowners. Build participatory opportunities around specific topics of interest. Consider household and landowner response to strategies such as: pollution control, lowering prices, protecting flood plains, improving storage facilities, improving repairs and maintenance and introducing enforced metering. Continue reading →