The purpose of this document is to guide efforts and summarize plans developed within the RMP. The intended audience includes representatives of the many organizations who directly participate in the Program. This document will also be useful for individuals who are not directly involved with the RMP but are interested in an overview of the Program and where it is heading.

The organization of this Multi-Year Plan parallels the RMP planning process (Figure 2). Section 1 presents the long-term management plans of the agencies responsible for managing water quality in the Bay and the overarching management questions that guide the Program. The agencies’ long-term management plans provide the foundation for RMP planning (Figure 2). In order to turn the plans into effective actions, the RMP distills prioritized lists of management questions that need to be answered (Page 8). The prioritized management questions then serve as a roadmap for scientists on the Technical Review Committee, workgroups, and strategy teams to plan and implement scientific studies to address the most urgent information needs. This information sharpens the focus on management actions that will most effectively and efficiently