Executive Director's Message

Spring 2025: Focusing on Effectiveness

As a public servant, I rank being responsible with public resources as a top priority equal to providing excellent service. SRBC is constantly mindful of the need to be judicious with the funding entrusted to our use and demonstrates this commitment by managing costs, competitively bidding support services, streamlining regulations and keeping a sustainable staff complement. But these essential measures can’t come at the cost of loss of effectiveness in delivering services to our stakeholders.

The recent cuts to funding and personnel occurring at critical federal water management agencies threaten to upset the delicate balance between gaining efficiency and losing effectiveness. Certainly it is an inherent responsibility for all government bodies to strive for maximum efficiency and constrain spending where necessary and appropriate. The technical expertise at NOAA, EPA, USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers informs us of pending floods and droughts , achieves and maintains clean streams, and helps ensure reliable supplies of safe drinking water to our people and businesses. If these personnel and functions are lost, there is no backup to fulfill those roles.

Of particular and immediate concern is the potential for disruption to the network of streamflow gages operated by USGS. Those of us charged with long-term responsible planning, hydrologic forecasting and the allocation of water to support economic development would be flying blind without the daily and historic data afforded by a robust network of streamflow monitors. That is why I will be providing details on the implications for water programs to our federally elected officials in the near future, with the goal of promoting efficiencies without the loss of effectiveness. For more information, please follow this link.

Best regards,
Andrew D. Dehoff, P.E.
Executive Director