Abstract
The Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is the state’s current effort to attempt to accomplish the co-equal goals of a water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration. The BDCP is a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan to provide State Water project facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, operated by the California Department of Water resources, with Federal Endangered Species Act and California Endangered Species Act coverage for a 50-year permit term. The steering committee membership consists of 26 stakeholders who represent a broad coalition of interests ranging from agricultural users, environmentalists, and business interests who have been meeting since 2006. However, despite the investment of millions of dollars and hundreds of meetings that have been dedicated to this effort, many concerns about the future of the BDCP exist. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, at its mid-course point, the BDCP based on best practices in collaboration. To accomplish this a representative sample of the stakeholders were interviewed – 18 in total. This data was then used to measure both process and outcomes through the use of several criteria in addition to the data gathered during the interview process. The main findings of the study demonstrated that key stakeholders are missing in the decision-making process. The data also indicated that the absence of key stakeholders increased the division between those actively at the table and those participating as “interested observers.” This has resulted in a decrease in social capital and a power imbalance among participants. These and other findings are summarized and subsequent recommendations are offered to policymakers as the process moves forward.