Analytical Methods and Approaches for Water Resources Project Planning (2004) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
7 Revising Corps of Engineers Planning Studies
7 Revising Corps of Engineers Planning Studies
Pages 109-116
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 109... ...
to determine the fitness of a planning alternative. The P&G thus presumes that water resources planning decisions are largely analytical in nature, as social and cultural issues, for example, are not included as components in the P&G evaluation process.
|
From page 110... ...
Moreover, water resources and other agencies tend to resist reviews of past projects for several reasons, including a preference to allocate resources for actual construction rather than investigations, and a reluctance to have past mistakes identified. For nearly fifty years, one of the nation's eminent water resources experts, Gilbert White, has pointed to limited evaluations of project results as a key water management shortcoming: We could fill a large room with documents drawing up what are considered the best plans for an analysis of problems in river basins around the world .
|
From page 111... ...
That water resources projects often have a range of unintended consequences, and that operational schemes are likely to require re-adjustments, is also better appreciated. These issues have given rise to planning concepts such as "adaptive management," which recognizes uncertainties and emphasizes careful monitoring and evaluation of environmental and related outcomes to promote flexible resource management policies that can be adjusted in a changing and unknown future world.
|
From page 112... ...
Moreover, although one year and $100,000 may be adequate for a reconnaissance study of a local project, these limits are inadequate for studies such as the Upper Mississippi River -- Illinois Waterway system. The reconnaissance phase of Corps of Engineers reconnaissance studies should be conducted with an expectation that the Corps will identify and examine a broad range of alternatives in order to provide conclusive evidence about the federal interest in a water resources issue.
|
From page 113... ...
Such updated guidance will ensure that Corps projects share common standards for stakeholder involvement/public participation, including expectations that project development processes allow for meaningful public input. The Corps should conduct a comprehensive review of district-level experiences with stakeholder participation procedures and activities.
|
From page 114... ...
The analysis of risk and uncertainty in project planning illuminates the possibly unexpected impacts of deviations from "best estimates" in projections of benefits and costs. The development of engineering methods of analysis for ecosystem restoration provides a way to integrate ecological components within more traditional Corps planning analysis and approaches.
|
From page 115... ...
in which ecological uncertainties can be reduced only so far by additional data or analyses. In addition to environmental uncertainties, many Corps planning studies include forecasts of variables like waterway traffic levels or forecasts of future economic benefits of a given action, such as benefits of flood damages avoided.
|
From page 116... ...
Not only can external experts improve Corps planning studies, the use of external experts can stem criticisms of agency self-interest and thereby enhance study credibility. Independent experts from outside the Corps of Engineers should be enlisted routinely to provide advice in Corps programs and planning studies (Recommendation 11)
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.