VI-5 



SECTION 1. THE HANDBOOK OF DESCRIPTORS 



The framework around which the Inventory is built is the "Handbook 



of Descriptors" (VI-1-1), an outline showing the information necessary 



to describe the Nation's coastal areas. 



The original list of descriptors, developed within the Federal Water 

 Pollution Control Administration (FWPCA), was reviewed in detail by 

 other agencies of the Department of the Interior and a number of 

 state water pollution control and natural resource aqencies. Critical 

 review by this diverse group helped to build a more comprehensive 

 data base than otherwise v^ould have resulted. 



COMPOSITION OF THE HANDBOOK 



The "Handbook" is comprised of the outlines for the two basic types 

 of management information needed to work with any estuarine system. 

 It contains sets of blank forms and instructions for their completion 

 with specific data. First, there must be institutional management infor- 

 mation consisting of those kinds of information which would be reguired 

 by a responsible management entity to determine: the most nearly 

 optimum use balance; the kind of organization which could achieve and 

 maintain the balance most effectively; whether such an organization 

 exists; and the existing institutional framework within which it must 

 work. Such information would include the political make-up, i.e., the 

 States, counties, municipalities, and special districts involved; 

 groups with management responsibilities in the system; existing zoning 

 restrictions; water quality standards; economic make-up of the area; 



