Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 604 |
|---|---|
| Citation | ESSA Technologies Ltd. 2007. Okanagan Basin Water Supply & Demand Study II: User Needs Assessment, Final Report. Prepared for the Okanagan Basin Water Board. |
| Organization | OBWB |
| URL | http://www.obwb.ca/fileadmin/docs/essa_una.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | ESSA Technologies Ltd (ESSA) is pleased to submit this report which clarifies and prioritizes user needs and technical requirements for the Phase 2 Okanagan Basin Water Supply & Demand study. This report documents findings from a User Needs Assessment (UNA), one of the first formal tasks undertaken as part of the Phase 2 study. The objectives of the UNA were to: (i) prioritize questions on current and future water supply/demand and clarify the priority outputs and their acceptable resolution, (ii) provide recommendations for Phase 2 deliverables and potential deliverables for future phases, and (iii)in so doing identify the required attributes of Phase 2 data sources and models to satisfy these requirements. As illustrated in the body of this report, the UNA achieved a high degree of success in meeting these three objectives. One reason for this success was the decision to conduct two UNA workshops, one with a primarily technical audience, and a follow-on workshop with Okanagan Water Stewardship Council (OWSC) members that represented a broader base of interested stakeholders. Both audiences were led through a series of presentations and questions to: (1) critically review and ﾓsign-offﾔ on a conceptual and quantitative model, (2) define priority outputs and form of deliverables, (3) define the spatial and temporal resolution for the study, and (4) identify climate futures and adaptation options that should be explored in the Phase 2 study or beyond. It was readily apparent that the focus of these two audiences was very different. Technical specialists focused on the water budget equation and discussion of outputs. In contrast, OWSC members emphasized the importance of clearly presenting information and messages so that decision makers and politicians throughout the Okanagan would be able to readily disseminate Phase 2 information and make more informed decisions. Feedback on the OWSC UNA workshop revealed that there was some frustration created by sticking to (essentially) the same process as that used during the first UNA workshop. However, it is hoped that following the same process has helped these two audiences establish a common understanding of assumptions for the study. Given the early stage of the project, the UNA was intentionally structured to improve clarity and understanding over key technical details (water budget equation, temporal/spatial resolution, etc.). This will help position study teams to realize the ﾑbig picture' goal of providing high quality, reliable water supply and demand data at the basin wide scale. Ultimately, this technical foundation must be agreed upon as it will define what is possible in terms of future communication plans and educational opportunities for lay audiences. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Okanagan |
| Sub-watershed if known | |
| Aquifer # | |
| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
| Contact Name | Clint Alexander |
| Contact Email | [email protected] |