The State of the Basin Initiative monitors and reports on indicators of well-being in the Columbia Basin-Boundary region. This Snapshot report provides an overview of current State of the Basin research, while the Full Report provides analysis on all economic, social, environmental and cultural indicators. All State of the Basin reports and resources are available on the State of the Basin webpage.

USING RESEARCH TO IMPROVE REGIONAL WELL-BEING

Every day, Columbia Basin-Boundary residents and organizations make decisions that influence the region’s future. Basing these decisions on a comprehensive understanding of related conditions and trends helps ensure they are sound. The primary goal of the State of the Basin initiative is to provide access to the data communities need to make decisions that lead to greater regional well-being. Four objectives support this goal:

• Inform citizens and organizations about the people, natural environment, communities, and economy of the region by providing access to accurate, credible, and timely information;
• Encourage understanding of complex issues and trends over time, including into the future when possible;
• Signal whether conditions are similar or different within the region, and in comparison to other areas to highlight and celebrate areas of achievement, and to identify significant issues, ideally before they become critical; and
• Motivate discussion, information sharing, strategic evidence-based decisions, and collective action.