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546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 23 outside the AMP may be desirable. Nevertheless, the ultimate purpose of GCMRC's long- term monitoring and research program is to develop information on changes in the Colorado River ecosystem related to dam operations. of(;6 I,C. ' L> ' ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT r" The adaptive management approach being used in the AMP begins with a set of ~ management objectives and involves a feedback loop between proposed management actions and the effect of those actions on the resources of concern. It is an iterative process that treats management actions as experiments subject to modification, rather than as fixed and final rulings. Management actions will be used to develop an enhanced scientific understanding about how the Colorado River ecosystem responds to those management actions. The adaptive management approach has two other critical elements, a willingness to acknowledge uncertainty in our understanding of how the resources will respond to proposed ~ltc:ment actiQns and a commitment to utilize a consultative process.to- "",J, t'-f /Y'f I- /lJ t'CTh.b ....,fl...~\.&- ~ <>1 tt-Z~, The consul~tive process begins with the definition of a series of management '^~\S objectives defined lJytBe AMWEi. Subsequently, the TWG defined a set of prioritized information needs which serve as the basis for GCMRC monitoring and research programs. Management actions based on current scientific understanding and legal boundaries will be proposed to achieve given mllnllgement objectives. An important interim step in this process is to allow for a dialogue between the AMWG/TWG and scientists who are knowledgeable about the Colorado River ecosystem. " r. , ".. ~ " r- " ~~ ~.' ~: .-: '.~ ":"1 i' " j~.. ,,, V .'.' ,",". ;:.. ;-~ ;.!. [~ !>". ~.! " Such a dialogue provides an opportunity for scientists to "reality-test" mllnagement objectives and information needs. That is, if managers wish to attempt to mAnage a system for a given outcome that is not feasible, it is important that they understand that at the outset. Experience has demonstrated that such "scientific reality-testing" of management objectives leads to better outcomes in the long-run. 'This interim step has yet to be implemented in the AMP. ~;~ " ~ ~ ,~ ~:J f'~ November S, 1998 SecoDd Draft - Do Not Cite, Pbotocopy, or D1stn'bute