Science‐based Collaboration: Finding Better Ways to Operate the Conowingo Pond

This article discusses the Conowingo Pond Management Plan developed in 2006 by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the Conowingo Pond Workgroup. The plan recommended revisions to the previous operations strategy for the pond, which would provide instream flow reliability while preserving water supply reliability, energy production, and other benefits. Models and performance measures used to evaluate alternatives were developed and refined at workgroup meetings. The article details how active involvement of the stakeholders in the model development and verification lent credibility to the entire process. The collaborative process built critical shared knowledge of the lower Susquehanna system. Computer‐aided negotiation sessions where alternatives were developed and evaluated on the spot were particularly effective. The process ensured the full support of recommendations by key stakeholders.