Welcome to the Collaborative Planning Toolkit - a web-based
resource guide with extensive hyperlinks to existing literature
and resources that focus on computer-based tools and on processes,
tools and techniques. We designed this space for anyone - in
or outside the Corps of Engineers - who is trying to solve water
resources problems. Are you trying to develop a practical plan
to manage TMDLs? Are you part of an effort to meet the water
needs of a growing city without hurting the environment? Struggling
to write new rules for old reservoirs? Trying to balance environmental
and flood damage reduction interests? Whatever the issue that
brought you to this site, you are probably working with many
agencies and various sectors of the public simultaneously. The
one thing we know for sure is that this is difficult to do;
a possible outcome is that all these parties will be unable
to reach consensus and will thus sustain the status quo they
found undesirable, each for their own reasons. There is no magic
on these pages that will guarantee success, but there are sound
innovations, drawn from decades of experience and research,
that can improve your chances of developing, and implementing
a better way.
The central theme of this toolkit is planning
- a formal process for evaluating the future consequences of
our decisions. Woven around that core are the best ideas we've
found in decision support theory, conflict resolution, risk
management and public involvement, as well as advances in the
technology (computers) that will be needed to support your collaborative
planning process. You will not see treatises on hydrology or
economics on this site, but we do talk about how collaborative
studies can define, manage and apply these sorts of analyses.
And hopefully, the hyperlinks that this site provides will lead
you into more detailed descriptions of the things that seem
relevant to your problem. If you don't see the information you're
looking for, try our search engine. And come back! This space
will change as we collect lessons learned, successes and failures,
from the practical application of these ideas.
