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I ~ I I I I I SECTION 4 O&mC~SANDPOUcms INTRODUCTION The Rice Creek Watershed District's (RCWD) objectives and policies have been structured into a framework for water resource management. This section outlines those objectives and policies, and discusses them on a subwatershed basis. Strategies for management are discussed briefly here and discussed in greater detail in Section 5. The essential objective of the RCWD is to provide for the wise, long-term management of its water and associate land resources. The term "management" embodies several implicit functions including: planning, organizing, obtaining financial and staff resources, direction or leadership, monitoring or review, control, coordination, reporting, and innovation. I at I Management is a continuing process which adapts to changing needs and ~cumstances and which incorporates new knowledge within the expanding context of prior experience. Basic to any effective management process is a consistent, overall policy which enunciates goals, assigns relative priorities, and essentially defines the "mission." The plans, programs, and specific actions which evolve from the basic policy are then continually redefined and refined in response to the future changing environment (social, economic, and governmental). I I I I Overall policy, as stated in the RCWD's Rules and Regulations, provides an impartial, objective basis for developing effective plans and programs for water resources management. Emphasis is placed upon "sound scientific principles" and "provident use of natural resources." Overall RCWD policy is to moderate various competitive interests (e.g., of conservationists; landowners and developers; municipal and county governments) so as to realize the maximum long-term benefit to the RCWD's constituent municipalities, residents, business, and agricultural interests. Basic principles of RCWD policy should be 1) to evaluate most carefully all proposals which involve irreversible and irretrievable commitments of water and associated land resources, 2) to prevent or reduce adverse impacts upon these resources from proposed developments, 3) to identify and analyze potential alternatives, and 4) to maintain a balanced relationship between the shorter-term uses and the longer-term productivity of the RCWD's resources. I I 4-1 10/97