title: Who's in charge: role clarity in a Midwestern watershed group.
abstract: Studies of collaborative watershed groups show that effective leadership is an important factor for success. This research uses data from in-depth interviews and meeting observation to qualitatively examine leadership in a Midwestern collaborative watershed group operating with government funding. One major finding was a lack of role definition for volunteer steering-committee members. Lack of role clarity and decision-making processes led to confusion regarding project management authority among the group, paid project staff members, and agency personnel. Given the important role of government grants for funding projects to protect water quality, this study offers insight into leadership issues that groups with Clean Water Act Section 319 (h) funds may face and suggestions on how to resolve them.
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 800 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, USA. kfloress@uwsp.edu
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Floress
authors.forename: Linda Stalker
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Prokopy
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ayres
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D005380:Financing, Government; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007857:Leadership; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009934:Organization and Administration; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D045483:Rivers; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D060753:Water Quality