Stakeholder Engagement: Methods of Inclusion in South Carolina State Water Plan Decision-Making

Abstract

Stakeholder engagement in natural resource planning has become increasingly important at local and state levels. Including stakeholders in decision-making can increase buy-in and public support of final regional and state recommendations. It can also lead to policy change and improved implementation outcomes resulting from these planning processes. South Carolina is developing a stakeholder-driven water plan, although it is several years away from being finalized. The methods used in this process are a departure from past efforts. Stakeholder inclusion in decision-making in the water planning process is described and analyzed in this article. The focus is on the specific phases of the process and the methods of inclusion used or those anticipated to be used. In this cycle, stakeholder involvement in decisions range from informational/advisory to consultative to decision-making.