A Social Profile...

• Provides a "snapshot" of life in the community at one point in time
• Uncovers issues of importance and concerns of the community that need to be addressed in the watershed management plan
• Illustrates positive and negative trends in land-use patterns, economic vitality, and citizen attitudes
• Reveals stresses in the community that may hinder the watershed planning process
• Serves as the human dimensions section of a watershed management plan

A social profile is a valuable tool in the watershed planning process and can help you identify relevant social issues, collect information about them, and summarize this data in your watershed management plan. A social profile (cite) is a collection of baseline data that describes characteristics of a community or people in a defined area. This collection of data profiles human life in the community by describing (a) land use and ownership; (b) economic vitality; (c) community capacity; (d) governmental and political structures; and (e) public attitudes. The purpose of the social profile is to provide data and information for a reasonable summary of social issues in the watershed management plan that ultimately leads to more informed decisions by the watershed planning committee.

Watershed planning committees can use a social profile to:

• determine the feasibility of the watershed effort;
• identify stakeholders who should be included in watershed efforts;
• assist in establishing goals and measurable objectives;
• identify barriers associated with the adoption of the watershed management plan;
• develop education, communication, and implementation strategies; and
• develop the human dimensions section of a watershed management plan.

The profile provides a "snapshot" of life in the community at one point in time. Data collected for the profile illustrates prevailing conditions, such as positive and negative trends in land-use patterns, economic vitality, and citizen attitudes. These trends and data about specific indicators or measures can reveal stresses in the community that may hinder the watershed planning process. The profile will also uncover issues of importance and concerns of the community and local citizens that need to be addressed in the watershed management plan. Your first social profile will serve as a reference or baseline with which to compare future conditions in the community that result from changes in land-use management strategies.

A written summary of the social profile could also suffice as the human dimensions section of your watershed management plan. The human dimensions section of the watershed management plan describes the social nature of a watershed. In order to understand a community and its overall relationship to watershed management, its social structures and processes must be understood. This requires in-depth and innovative data collection and analysis that can be rather complex and has been historically under-appreciated. Just as we realize the importance of complete and accurate information about the physical and natural environment, social assessments should not be undertaken with any less care or quality.

Adapted from: Fitzsimmons, S.J., Stuart, L.I., and P.C. Wolff. 1977. Social assessment manual: A guide to the preparation of the social well-being account for planning water resource projects. Westview Press: Boulder, Colorado.

Go to Top of Page

Go to Step 1