Papers by Jerry Dellipriscoli
Water Policy, 2012
Water has been called the berth of life as it performs basic ecological functions in every enviro... more Water has been called the berth of life as it performs basic ecological functions in every environment. Many relevant water properties are not discernible to the human senses: microbes are invisible; colour and taste often give little indication of water composition or potability. For this reason, technological deficiencies in water management are often responsible for disease, mortality and poverty in low-income societies. In developed countries, there is mounting evidence of the secondary effects of medicines, household products and chemicals present in sewage. Diffuse contamination caused by agriculture and livestock production can reach rivers and lead to water eutrophication favouring algae and microbe blooms. Both the nature of the problems and the availability of technology vary regionally but improper water management places important limitations on the wellbeing of local populations, women in particular. A moral issue stands out: the commitment to the amelioration of the po...
European Journal of Soil Science, 2010
This collection of articles documents, in a general way, that IWR contribution. While comprehensi... more This collection of articles documents, in a general way, that IWR contribution. While comprehensive, it is not definitive. We are still learning. However, the materials reflect the types and ways the Corps, as an organization, has attempted to meet new public involvement demands. As such, it is as important for what is absent as whit is included. We have tried to synthesize, by topic, the contributions of IWR staff and consultants. Throughout, further original source material is referenced for those desiring more "indepth" discussion. Prior to 1970, the participation of the public had been limited largely :. to formal public hearings on water resources studies. However, as early as July 1968, the Corps had initiated a research study by a University of Michigan research team consisting of Tho"as E. Borton, Katherine P. Warner and J. William Wenrich to explore techniques for improvlng conmunication between the public and the govrnmental agencies involved in comprehensive river basin planning. This study, titled "The Susqueha'na Communication-Ptrlctpation Study," was published as an IWR Report in December, 1e pages 38-395.) Reflecting the increased interest * technical aid. The IWR professional staff also continues to publish professional papers related to public involvement. Papers by Dr. Delli Priscoli and by C. M. Dunning are included in this reader to illustrate the issues dealt with by IWR staff. In addition there are numerous studies carried out by IWR on Social Impact Assessment end future studies which relate to public involvemen'%. Recently IWR has begun two major studies of hydroelectric power and the future of American waterways which themselves require public ... involvement. James F. Ragan has assisted in developing the public involvement program design for the hydroelectric study. Other IWR staff members have been conducting a study on the assessment of cumulative impacts, which has considerable public involvement elements. During the early 1970's, the Corps,,as well as other aqencies, focused on public involvement in planning. With the 1972 and 1976Federal Water Pollution' Control Acts, the Corps assumed major new responsibilities in wetlands protection and regulation. As the Corps' regulatory program has grown, so has the Corps' awareness of the central role of the public in a suc, cessful program. Thus, our most recent challenge has been to adapt.our ,-.. public involvement expertise to the expanded Corps regulatory program. James'L. Creighton, assisted by IWR staffers Dr. Delli Priscoli and Thomas Ballentine, has been developing a training program entitled "Public Involvement in Regulatory Functions." Fortuitiously, the Jac..sonville District of the Corps has been exploring innovative approaches to public involvement in regulatory programs, and this team conducted a two-day seminar for the entire regulatory staff of the district. An outgrowth of this seminar was the public involvement process followed.in developing a general permit on Sanibel Island.lO (See pages 373 and 396.) IWR assisted with partial funding of this process which was supervised by Merle Lefkoff, with facilitator training by Lorenz Aggens, and program evaluation by Judy A. Rosener. A five-day version of the regu-5 % '.
Impact Assessment, 1982
Why Social Science in Engineering? Traditionally, much of Federal water resources engineering has... more Why Social Science in Engineering? Traditionally, much of Federal water resources engineering has consisted of structural intervention into the natural system to minimize potential stress on the social system and to create new growth opportunities. During the last decade, engineer managers have been asked to develop alternatives that include direct management of the social system-water-demand management and nonstructural design. Frequently, social impact work, which has flourished under the National Environmental Policy Act, inherited an image of negative assessment, project delay, or bearer of bad news. Those days are passing. Social science disciplines help managers to understand their external environments, to cope with internal resource constraints, and to manage uncertainty, Through its social impact assessment research, the Institute for Water Resources (IWR), a division of the u.s. Army Corps of Engineers, has identified a number of generic tools whose applications have these payoffs:
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imp... more The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Water Policy, 2015
Water is life. But water is also a threat to life. During the past decade, the risks from water-r... more Water is life. But water is also a threat to life. During the past decade, the risks from water-related disasters are increasing and hamper sustainable development by causing political, social, and economic upheaval in many countries. Water-related disasters, such as floods, droughts, storm surges and tsunamis, account for 90% of all disasters in terms of number of people affected. The issue of "water and disasters" must be addressed if we hope to make sustainable development a reality. We must share our experiences and lessons learned, strengthen regional coordination and collaboration, and set common goals and targets in order to lay a foundation for weathering the water-related disasters to come, and make progress towards creating a better-prepared and more resilient society. All these elements should be translated into clear-cut messages and practical advice for decision makers to create effective policies and mechanisms that address water and disaster issues appropriately at all levels. The High Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) was established to assist the international community, governments and stakeholders in mobilizing political will and resources. It will promote actions to raise awareness, ensure coordination and collaboration, establish common goals and targets, monitor progress, and take effective measures aimed at addressing the issues of water and disasters. During 2014, members of HELP solicited case studies on water and disasters. After review, these contributions comprise this special issue of Water Policy. The cases and the special issue were also done to provide input to discussion on this topic at the World Water Forum 7 in the Republic of South Korea. The special issue consists of 10 cases studies and concludes with a summary position paper of members of the HELP: 'Water-Related Disaster Risk Reduction: Time for Preventive Action: Position paper of the High Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters'. The special Issue begins with 'A Global Perspective on Flood Disasters' written by Dr Wolfgang Kron of the Munich Reinsurance Company (Kron, 2015). The article notes that various disasters in recent decades have confirmed that the risk from water-related events has been increasing significantly worldwide. The driving factors of this risk are the unabated increase in global population, the concentration of people in high-risk areas such as coasts, flood plains and hillsides, the rise in vulnerability of
Water Policy, 2000
This article invites policy makers to reframe some familiar policy debates on water through using... more This article invites policy makers to reframe some familiar policy debates on water through using history. While violence has and will continue around water, water is far more humanity's learning ground for building community than it is a cause of war. Increased interdependence through water sharing plans and infrastructure networks can be seen as increases of our¯exibility and capacity to respond to exigencies of nature and reduce our vulnerability to events such as droughts and¯oods and thereby increase security. The history of social organization around river basins and watersheds is humanity's richest records of our dialogue with nature. It is among the most fertile areas for learning about how the political and technical interact. The spatial and functional characteristics of the river basins in¯uenced human settlement and interaction long before the idea of the river basin started to be formalized into legal and administrative terms. The direction of¯ow of rivers in¯uenced the movement of civilization. Rivers have been crucial to means of communication leading to the formation of political units. The article concludes with calling for new ethics in water management. It calls for an ethic built on: a sense of purpose and on an active co-designing with nature and not solely on preservation; a balance between humans and technology and among structural and on-structural approaches; and a new balance of the sacred and utilitarian in water.
Water International, 2004
... area, scholars and commenta-tors from Habermas to Robert Reich, have been calling for a new p... more ... area, scholars and commenta-tors from Habermas to Robert Reich, have been calling for a new paradigm of public dialogue, which ... to en-courage social learning, to create new alternatives, and to build or enhance, through empowering experiences, the civic infrastructure. ...
Water Policy, 2015
Water resources planning and management has evolved in the United States through several distinct... more Water resources planning and management has evolved in the United States through several distinct stages over the past two centuries, transitioning from a concern for inland waterways transportation to single purpose flood control and finally to multiple purpose large reservoirs. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) was always considered to be one of the main goals of these strategies. Reviewing history, this paper describes a US federal system that presents major challenges to coordinating water resources development and DRR, at both the watershed and metropolitan area scales. The paper reviews the performance of existing flood protection systems of three recent disasters. Federal, state and local responses to these major events have been mixed, as regulatory and management agencies with different evaluation frameworks and decision rules attempt to coordinate their respective responses. The cases revealed new vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the US DRR responses and planning, while contr...
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Papers by Jerry Dellipriscoli