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In the watershed approach,
stakeholders are the decision makers. This differs from the command and control approach, in which regulatory agencies made all decisions. Stakeholders are a diverse group with various backgrounds, interests and concerns. They can represent state agencies, local governments, conservation organizations, water users, industries and American Indian tribes.
The Consensus
Module of WARMF provides information for stakeholders to make decisions. It does not make decisions for stakeholders. The decision making process is by consensus. The idea is to divide the consensus building process into a series of steps. In each step, stakeholders are provided with pertinent information. Based on the information, stakeholders can learn about the issues and reach a consensus. It is believed that a consensus plan has the best chance of being implemented.
The outputs are displayed in colored maps and graphs, and/or tables. The water quality, in scientific terms of constituent concentrations, is translated to the easy-to-understand terms of whether the water can serve its beneficial uses. A map output will color water bodies suitable for a specified use in green and those not suitable in red.
Road Map of WARMF's Consensus
Module
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