10 - Getting Around Agreeing to Disagree

Summary

Groundwater negotiators and professionals often encounter informational impasses, whereby the parties cannot find a common understanding of data and information. These disputes often end with each party “agreeing to disagree” and never resolving the underlying misunderstanding. Collaboration compacts may facilitate the negotiation of an aquifer unitization agreement by adopting common guiding principles and context for subsequent negotiation. These compacts can identify conceptual models, analytical methods, and goals before positions become entrenched.