The diagram below illustrates a Performance Measures Framework developed by the Science Program. Policy decisions are made based on the goals and objectives of the program. Management oversees implementation of the policy decisions - directing financial resources to priority actions. These decisions are reflected in administrative indicators, such as number of projects funded. These actions then may result in physical changes to the environment, such as levee maintenance or habitat restoration. These intermediate changes are tracked with driver indicators.

Administrative Measures: These measures describe what resources (funds, programs, projects) are or plan to be implemented. The CALFED Program Performance and Tracking Team has developed a database system to track these elements.

Drivers: These are the factors that may be influencing outcome measures. They also include uncontrollable factors, such as natural phenomena (e.g., weather and hydrologic fluctuations) not caused by the management actions of the program.

Outcome Measures: Also called "response," or "results" measures, these describe the ultimate outcome of management actions upon the system that is being managed; in this case the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region.

Conceptual and quantitative models are used to develop, refine and document a common understanding of the system, including assumptions about intended outcomes from actions. Conceptual models also provide a basis for incorporating new information and continually improving our knowledge of the system.