10 Years of Regional Progress: Public Attitudes and Actions Toward Water Issues

The Pacific Northwest Regional Water Resources Program has used a series of public surveys to measure public literacy, needs, attitudes and actions taken to address water issues over the last 10 years. Surveys have identified water issues both among the general public and in specific agricultural settings. All surveys have been designed to: (1) be representative of the region’s population, and (2) address change over time. These surveys provided us with a wealth of information about public attitudes toward water issues in the Pacific Northwest. Even though some differences were seen among states on some issues, it is noteworthy that there is much commonality in water literacy, needs, attitudes and actions taken among the four Pacific Northwest states. This commonality has made regional water educational programming logical and efficient for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Significant outcomes include: