The California Water Boards' Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2008-09

Performance Management

With the adoption of the Strategic Plan Update: 2008-2012, the Water Boards continued the transition to becoming performance-based organizations where clear and measurable goals, objectives, and targets for improved performance are established and reported. Goal 5 of the Strategic Plan establishes that the Water Boards will improve transparency and accountability by ensuring that our goals and actions are clear and accessible; by demonstrating and explaining results achieved; and by enhancing and improving accessibility to data and information. This Annual Performance Report is part of the Water Boards’ efforts toward developing as performance-based organizations.

Annual Performance Report -- Purpose

In accordance with the Strategic Plan, the web pages for the Annual Performance Report were created to provide a report card that will communicate to the public the quality of California’s waters (with links to the water quality information web portal), the performance of the Water Boards in protecting those waters, and other Water Board-related issues that affect the public. Executive leadership of the State and Regional Water Boards identified numerous performance measures for specific outputs that are currently tracked through Water Board data systems. Initially, we are providing performance information for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-09 (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009). The FY 2008-09 Annual Performance Report presents information on output measures under selected key functional categories of Water Board work. Over time, additional information (such as inputs and outcomes) and time periods will be provided to better illustrate the work and effectiveness of the Water Boards, and the quality of our State’s waters.

The web pages for this Annual Performance Report solicit public comments for continual improvement of the information presented. In addition, improvements in the Water Boards’ data systems will enhance routine reporting of performance. As those systems are enhanced, this report will evolve to describe the water environment outcomes of our efforts.

Making this information available in a publicly-accessible manner is expected to build public confidence in the decision-makers, enhance the delivery of government services, and lead to greater public interest and involvement. Establishing and using measures of environmental and Water Board performance, along with adequate data and data systems, to track and report progress in meeting our goals and targets helps us to better manage and evaluate our programs, activities, and priorities, and improve efficiencies in our work processes. Thus, this Annual Performance Report is a management tool and an instrument to communicate to the public our efforts and achievements.

Performance Targets

Beginning with FY 2009-10, performance targets are being established for certain output measures. Targets are goals that establish measurable levels of performance to be achieved within a specified time period. Thus, for FY 2009-10 and in future fiscal years, actual work achieved will be compared to targets to better assess progress and define Water Board performance. Because, in most cases, targets are established by the individual Regional Water Boards, they reflect differences in the needs within their respective watersheds and their work priorities given available resources. The targets were derived with a consideration of each Regional Water Board's accomplishments during past years, current priorities, available resources, and the impacts of mandatory furloughs that are expected to be in place for the duration of FY 2009-10. A complete listing of the FY 2008-09 measures of performance can be accessed here. A listing of the FY 2009-10 targets for selected measures can be accessed here. The FY 2009-10 measures are under review and may be revised prior to posting the FY 2009-10 Annual Performance Report.