WATER POLICY

Those actions governing the management, administration, and procedures used to implement and direct a formal Water Planning process by which water rights, water uses, and water diversions are evaluated, ranked, and allocated on the basis of specific public policy goals and objectives and designated, either by legislative mandate, regulation, or fiat, Preferred Uses. Similar in scope and purpose to water planning, a water policy approach to water planning is also inherently concerned with various aspects of water resource development, transport, water treatment, allocation among various competing uses, conservation, waste-water treatment, re-use, and disposal. However, unique to the water policy approach is that water-related actions are specifically governed by pre-determined, publicly-approved water-related stipulations such as environmental impacts, quality of life values, "Highest and Best Use" concepts and criteria, water quality standards, conservation issues, industry sector water allocations, economic diversity goals, etc. To effect such a policy approach to water planning, a Public Scoping process is essential to ascertain, quantify, and rank the specific policy goals used to allocate limited water resources among competing uses. Also see Water Plan.