Shared Vision Planning Topic of Editorial in Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management

The creators of Shared Vision Planning take a look at the need for standards of practice in water resources planning in an editorial in the January/February 2008 issue of the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). William (Bill) J. Werick, PE, formerly of IWR, and Richard N. Palmer, PhD, PE, M.ASCE, of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst created the Shared Vision Planning process at IWR in the 1990s.

In the editorial, Werick and Palmer make the case for the development of best practices for water resources planning, further recommending that "the new principles have to be developed by people connected primarily by their expertise and interest in water resources planning."

They go on to recommend that a collaboratively built web site, such as that underway for IWR's Shared Vision Planning program, is a viable alternative that will allow the type of collaboration needed for such principles to gain credibility.

As part of this overall effort, IWR Shared Vision Planning lead Hal Cardwell is working with ASCE's Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) to form a task committee on Best Practices. Hal is also working with the American Water Resources Association (AWRA), whose endorsement of the Institute's collaborative planning processes would extend awareness to the broader community.

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History of Shared Vision Planning

Editorial in the January/February 2008 issue

Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management