Communicating about instream flow to the public and policy makers

Although the public and policy makers value water as a mainstay of health, commerce, and recreation, they measure, evaluate or express its value primarily on the basis of its quality. These same people view water as a useful resource and part of nature's bounty. A quantity of water is valued if sufficient for human uses (drinking, washing, irrigating, generating power, providing transportation and/or recreation). The general thought is "Nature will adapt to the available quantity." As human populations increase their demands for quantities of water, climatic conditions change, and human development reduces access to areas where water is naturally stored, policy makers have begun to address the issue of managing a limited resource. In the process, they must apply the interdependent relationship of humans and nature with the needs of both groups. In this presentation, we will report on (1) surveys that demonstrate the challenges of clarifying people's view of water quantity and instream flow, (2) a slogan developed by a SIFN committee to acclimate people to this interdependent position, and (3) the application of this slogan to several different communication products to promote water management using appropriate standards to assure some water for all users when it is needed.