Last year

• Lawyers, politicians and judges

• Stakeholders were getting organized

This year

• Lawyers, politicians and judges

• Stakeholders are organized and very busy

What’s was missing?•Stakeholders have been absent from the process

Question - Can the diverse users of the ACF Basin act cooperatively to create sustainable solutions among stakeholders that balance economic, ecological, and social values in the sharing of this natural resource?

•Still are… but not as much

Where we’ve been

• A phone call launched us• Workshops• Steering Committee• Organization formed• 501 c 3 obtained• Members joined• Governing Board formed• Projects begun, completed and more begun

Important process points1. We had to get the organization right before

tackling tough issues2. No requirement to abandon local interests but to

put them in the context of a sustainable watershed3. We excluded state and federal agencies (and

lawyers) from the organization– Nothing personal but focus was on stakeholders

working together

4. Litmus test was always ‘balance and diversity’5. Sustainability became the holy grail

ACF Stakeholders OrganizationExecutive Committee2 members selected by each Sub-basin Governing Board members

•Chair•Vice Chair

•Secretary•Treasurer

8 Members

14 Stakeholder Interest Caucuses in each Sub-basin select one person to represent their diverse Interest on the Governing Board

• Thermo Power

• Hydro Power

• Navigation

• Farm and Urban Agriculture

• Local Government

• Historic and Cultural

• Environmental and Conservation

• Business and Economic Development

• Other

• Recreation

• Water Supply

• Water Quality

• Seafood Industry

• Industry and Manufacturing

• 80% vote on Administrative Issues

• Consensus on Substantive Issues

Decision MakingGoverning Board

Apalachicola

Flint R

iver

Lower/M

iddle C

hattahoocheeU

pper C

hattahoochee

Sub-basin Caucuses

Apalachicola

Flint

Upper Chattahoochee

Middle & Lower Chattahoochee

Composition

• 56 Members

• 14 Members from each Sub-basin

•Members includeLocal GovernmentsAgriculture Water Suppliers & Treatment OperatorsIndustry & ManufacturingChambers of CommercePower CompaniesEnvironmental & Ecology OrganizationsWater ExpertsWater Policy MakersMunicipal AssociationsAdvocacy Groups

•First time ever members of this diverse group have sat together to make recommendations regarding the ACF Basin with the same goals.

Member Organizations

ACF Stakeholders Goal

•Equitable sharing of the waters of the ACF Basin among diverse water user groups.

•Long term sustainability of the ACF Basin to meet the social, economic and environmental needs of users of the ACF watershed.

Projects Completed• Understanding the Problem Work Group

– 140 page document describing the needs of each of the water interest categories

• Data Modeling Work Group– Inventoried the available modeling tools

• Sustainability Work Group– Defined sustainability– Defined performance criteria format for water

needs

Current Projects• Request for Proposals for Sustainable Water Management Plan

Needs?Availability?

Sustainable Water Management Plan

•Modeling•Flows•Levels•Water quality•Water balance

•Facilitation•Consensus goal

•Define alternative plans•Make recommendations

Instream Flow Assessment• Maintain ecological integrity

• Species assessment

• Floodplain management

What If…

• Needs outweigh Availability

• Now or in the future??

Best Practices Project

• Carl Vinson Institute Survey– Who is doing what– Highlight successes– Increase awareness

• Future – What else can be done– When and how much

• Who pays for it…• How is it paid for…

Importance of the effort• Long term economic viability of the SE

depends on water– Projected growth among competing interests

puts more pressure on limited water resource

• Long term environmental sustainability of the SE depends on responsible use of water

• Long term we need a basin wide water management plan

How do we get there…• ACF Stakeholders has the only voice

representing– Diverse water interests– All 3 states

• Committed to:– Equitable solutions

• Economic, Ecological and Social values

– Viable solutions to ensure sustainability– Pursuing change to accomplish goals

You are welcome to join…

• Interest in the ACF Watershed?• Email to:

– Info@acfstakeholders.org

• Website:– www.acfstakeholders.org

• Q & A