Bulletins are the principal formal publications of the Department. They are numbered documents that transmit approved, official information from the Department to the Governor, the Legislature, other government agencies, and the public.
Bulletins receive the widest distribution of all Department reports. They should be limited to matters sufficiently important to merit the time, effort, and expense their preparation requires. Bulletins are published to meet one or more of the following purposes:
Each bulletin is assigned a number that distinguishes it from every other bulletin, identifies the subject area and, if applicable, its position in a series. Reports Administration assigns bulletin numbers. The abbreviation "No." is not used.
Every bulletin has three main parts-front, body, and back-that include most, and sometimes all, of the following component parts. Each of these components is discussed in detail in this section.
Front Matter
Body
Back Matter
Cover
The standard design for bulletin covers is used for all bulletins, unless prior approval for a special design has been obtained from the Director. Requests for special designs are not encouraged.
The standard cover is printed in black ink on white cover stock. The outside front cover includes title and subtitle; bulletin number; month and year of publication; the DWR logo; names, titles, and organizations of the Governor, the Secretary for Resources, and the Director in that order; and a photograph relating to the subject of the bulletin. On occasion, an artist's drawing is substituted for a photograph. The Director makes the final selection of the cover illustration.
The inside front cover bears a small reproduction of the cover illustration and a caption that identifies and explains it.
The inside back cover is usually blank, but it may be used for the metric conversion factors page.
The outside back cover carries the return address of the Department and the State seal.
Preparation of the cover for printing is handled by Graphic Services, in coordination with Reports Administration. Only the title, subtitle, caption text, and a good quality glossy black and white photo need be supplied by the report originators. Reports Administration selects the publishing date for the cover, based on the most probable printing date.
Title Page
The title page is the first right-hand page following the front cover. It repeats the title and subtitle, the bulletin number, and the publishing date. It also includes the names, titles, and organizations of the Governor, the Secretary for Resources, and the Director.
The title page does not carry a page number but is understood to be page "i" (lowercase roman numeral).
Foreword
The foreword appears on page iii, which is the second right-hand page following the front cover. It is written by the originators of the bulletin and is signed by the Director, customarily at the time the Director approves the bulletin for printing.
The foreword states the purpose of the report and may include, as appropriate, information on the authorization for work reported, titles of closely related DWR reports, and, if the bulletin is part of a series, the titles and numbers of related bulletins. Acknowledgments may be included if they are the type the Director might appropriately express.
Except under special circumstances, a foreword does not exceed one printed page and is set up in a one-column format, even though the text of the report may be in two or three columns. Otherwise, the format is flexible in terms of margins, indention, and signature block placement and may be set up as appropriate to the design of the bulletin.
Contents
The table of contents starts on page v and lists all material contained in a bulletin, including the foreword, the organization page, the acknowledgments, and other matter that precedes the contents, and all material that follows the contents, including all chapter headings and subordinate text headings, tables, plates, figures, references, appendixes, glossary, and (sometimes) photo credits.
The contents are listed in this order: (1) front matter (see list on page 5), (2) text headings, (3) tables, (4) figures, (5) references, and (6) appendixes.
Photographs are not customarily listed in the contents, although a list of photo credits may be placed at the end of the contents page.
All matter appearing in the contents must agree word for word with the titles, headings, and table and figure numbers and titles used throughout the bulletin. This is a rule without exception. Particular care in proofreading all these elements in the final draft is essential.
DWR Organization Page
The organization page lists the names and titles or classifications of DWR personnel under whose authority or direction the work was performed, those who prepared the report, and those who were contributors to the work. The arrangement of the list should reflect the organization of the Department at the time of publication (the date on the cover). However, employees who worked on the report but have since left may be listed without indicating that they transferred or retired.
The organization page always begins with the names, titles, and organizations of the Governor, the Secretary for Resources, the Director, the Deputy and Assistant Directors, and the Chief Counsel. Following these are the name of the division, district, or office and the name and title of the chief thereof. Subordinate contributing personnel are then listed by name and title or classification, either alphabetically or in descending order of responsibility.
As appropriate, personnel of other DWR organizations who have contributed significantly are also listed. The organization page may also include special acknowledgments of assistance from persons or organizations outside the Department, provided the statement is brief, space permits, and the information has not been included in the foreword or on a separate acknowledgments page. A sample organization page is shown opposite.
Metric Conversions Page
Metric equivalents are used in the text of DWR publications only as appropriate (water quality data, for example). If metrics are used, include a one-page table of factors for converting customary (English) and metric units of measurement in the bulletin, usually at the back of the report. The example metric table on the following page may be copied and used as an original, or Reports Administration or Publication and Editorial Services can supply camera-ready copy. See Water Resources Engineering Memorandum No. 51D, "Metric System Guidelines" (1995), for a discussion of DWR's metric policy, which was recently updated by a DWR metric task force.
The California Water Commission
The members of the California Water Commission are listed in all bulletins. The list is omitted from most other DWR publications, but it is included in special reports that receive wide distribution or are subject to public hearings.
The list is most often placed on a separate page in the front matter opposite the DWR organization page, but it may also be placed on the bottom of the DWR organization page, if space allows.
Membership of the commission changes from time to time. Reports Administration is responsible for making certain the list reflects the most recent changes and distributing new lists to DWR writers.
Because the membership of the commission and the positions the members hold are subject to change from time to time, those preparing a bulletin for publication should always check with Reports Administration at (916) 653-8621 or CALNET 8-453-8621 for the most recent listing.
Purchasing Information
The Department has a policy of charging at least $2 for all bulletins to discourage requests by those with only a casual interest. The State Administrative Manual (Sec. 3161) permits free distribution in the following cases:
No more than 10 free copies may be provided in each case. This limit also applies to requests from public interest groups and the media (per single request). Larger supplies may be given to organizations that provide financial support to a cooperative study and agencies with special needs, such as the State Water Project contractors.
No charge is made for those on mailing lists. Department personnel who need a copy for their work may request an office copy.
The price charged for a bulletin is set by Reports Administration in coordination with the program manager. It is based on estimated printing cost, size of report (postage required), and probable level of public interest in the bulletin.
The purchasing information appears on the inside front cover in the following format:
Copies of this bulletin at $_____ each may be ordered from: (OR: Copies of this bulletin are available without charge from:) State of California DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES P.O. Box 942836 Sacramento CA 94236-0001 Make checks payable to Department of Water Resources. California residents add current sales tax.
The last two lines are omitted if a publication is being distributed free of charge.
Prices of DWR publications appear in the "Publications" list every two months and the annual Department Publications (Bulletin 170), both issued by Reports Administration.
Contract Information
When the total of all outside contracts for work reported in a bulletin exceeds $5,000, information on those contracts must be included (California Government Code, Section 7550). The rule is that the numbers and amounts of all contracts and subcontracts for work performed by non-DWR personnel are to be reported. This requirement applies to any assistance, including studies, computer work, and so forth, that is paid for by the Department. When only one contract is involved, follow this example, as appropriate.
Portions of this report were prepared with the assistance of the ABC Agency under Contract No. 123-0008-567. Contract amount: $5,123.00.
When two or more contracts are involved, follow this example, as appropriate.
Portions of this report were prepared with the assistance of: Agency Contract No. Amount ABC Company 7845-173-5867 $3,025 Department of Fish and Game 7846-167-6990 1,456 University of California 7946-275-1037 2,250 TOTAL $6,731
This information is usually placed at the end of the table of contents.
Two types of acknowledgments may appear in a bulletin: (1) a statement of appreciation for assistance from individuals or organizations outside the Department and (2) identification of sources of photographs. (See examples on the following page.)
Outside Assistance. When individuals or organizations outside the Department have contributed materially toward the work reported in a bulletin, their assistance is acknowledged in the bulletin. If the acknowledgment is lengthy, it will appear on a separate page following the organization page. It should not usually exceed one page. If the statement is brief and space permits, it may be placed below the DWR personnel on the organization page.
Sources of Photographs. The source of all photographs should be given, for two reasons: the photographer or responsible agency traditionally expects credit, and others may also want to use the photo. DWR photos are listed by a Department identification number (assigned by the DWR Photography Unit); photos from outside sources are listed by individual or agency. (See "Photographs" in "Printing and Graphics," for placement of credits.)
Executive Summary
The use of an executive summary is strongly encouraged but not mandated. An executive summary is a synopsis of a report, with emphasis on important findings, conclusions, and recommendations. (An executive summary would not be appropriate for a short report or a data report with very little text.) The purpose of the executive summary is to permit the busy executive to get the significant information of the report at once, without having to hunt for it or wade through the whole report. Executive summaries are especially handy devices for people who are interested in reviewing your report on the Internet because small file sizes generally transfer quickly across networks.
Text
The text refers to the main body of a report, including all material appearing between the front matter and the back matter. It is organized into major divisions (chapters) and subordinate divisions. All chapters begin on a right-hand page. Text in DWR reports has traditionally been typewritten in a single column with a ragged right margin. Word processing now gives us a lot more flexibility, but a simple style is usually the best. Line spacing and indentions are a matter of choice.
Recommended:
Headings. Headings are necessary for all major divisions and subordinate sections in the text. Word processing has greatly expanded the choices available for heads. Of prime importance is establishing a system and adhering to it throughout any one report. This lets the reader recognize which subjects are on the same level and which are subordinate. The following table presents two systems. However, others may be used.
First Level (chapter title). Centered on page; all casitals.
Second Level (center head). Centered on column (single and double); caps & lower case; under lined.
Third Level (side head). On line alone above a paragraph, flush left; caps & lower case; underlined.
Fourth Level (run-in head). On same line as first line of paragraph; flush left; caps & lower case; underlined; ends with a period.
First Level (chapter title). 18 or 24 pt. bold face; either all caps or caps & lower case; usually centered on page; sometimes flush left.
Second Level (center head). 14 or 18 pt. bold; caps & lower case;
centered on column (single and double).
Fourth Level (run-in head). On same line as first line of paragraph;
10 or 11 pt. bold, italic, caps & lower case; ends with a period.
(Four levels are usually sufficient. A fifth level can be created by
underscoring key words at the beginning of a paragraph. However, this is a
sign the material needs restructuring.)
Page Numbering. DWR reports use two-page numbering systems.
Front matter is identified by consecutive lowercase roman numerals. All subsequent
matter, starting with page l of Chapter l and including appendixes, glossary,
and index, is identified by consecutive arabic numerals.
Numbering under both roman and arabic systems always begins on a right-hand
page. In the front matter, the title page is counted as page "i" but the number
is not shown. In the text, the first page is numbered "1."
Blank pages that occur when a chapter ends on a right-hand page are counted
in the sequence but the number is not shown.
Page numbers are usually centered at the bottom of the page, but they may
also be placed in alternating right and left upper or lower corners.
Footnotes
See "Text Topics."
Tables
Tables requiring individual designation must be identified by number and
title for listing in the contents. The numbers are consecutive throughout
a publication, although appendix tables are usually numbered in a separate
sequence. As appropriate, small tabulations that fit in as part of the text
do not require a number and title.
Figures
References
See "Text Topics."
Appendixes
An appendix presents supplemental information that supports or amplifies
the information in a report but is too lengthy to fit into the main body.
Where there is more than one appendix, each is identified by a consecutive
letter of the alphabet, and each is introduced by its own title page (a right-hand
page) and a table of contents, if an appendix is complex enough to need one.
Appendixes are paged continuously with the body of the report, but tables
and figures within an appendix are usually numbered in a separate sequence.
If an appendix is published separately, appendixes to it are called attachments.
Glossary
Specialized and technical terms that need to be defined should be listed
in alphabetic order in a glossary. The glossary will usually follow an appendix
and precede an index, but if it is brief (one printed page or less), it might
instead be placed in the front matter just before the main body of the report.
Photo Credits
Indexing is a time-consuming task, whether done by hand or by using a publishing
software program, such as Reports Administration's Interleaf Technical Publishing
System. Traditionally, few DWR publications have been indexed. The list of
contents is generally regarded as sufficiently detailed to serve instead.
However, if a report is likely to be used as a reference work, as some have,
a carefully compiled index will add greatly to its long-term usefulness.
The following tips are useful for indexes done by hand:
A useful way to prepare an index is through the cooperative efforts of the
author and the editor. The author marks key words and indicates their probable
hierarchy. The editor then assembles and arranges the index and checks for
items to avoid, such as circular references.
(Two helpful books on indexing are Making An Index by G. V. Carey
and Indexes and Indexing by Robert L. Collison.)
Review
The draft of a bulletin should be reviewed by all units of the Department
(including the Office of the Chief Counsel and the appropriate Deputy Director)
that have a direct interest.
The district offices should send a draft review copy to the Chief, Division
of Local Assistance.
All bulletins must be routed through the appropriate management levels and
approved in writing by the Director, and possibly the Governor's Office, before
they may be printed. (District reports must be routed through the Chief, Division
of Local Assistance.)
Two Memos Required. Bulletin originators prepare two approval
memorandums: (1) a draft Governor's Office Correspondence Cover Sheet
(DWR 4215a) and (2) a final approval-to-print memo for the Director's
signature. Attach a pink mail control slip (DWR 430) to each memo and route
them from the District/Division Chief up the line as a package. The approval-to-print
memo must include approval blocks for the appropriate Deputy Director and the
Director (see example opposite). District offices add an approval block for
the Chief, Division of Local Assistance.
The approval-to-print memo is addressed to:
The detailed procedure for routing these two memos is spelled out in the
Director's
Report Approval Procedure memo of May 19, 1994 (see copy on the following pages).
Instructions on preparing a DWR 4215a are contained in the section below on
Legislatively Mandated Reports and in Section 284.3 of the DWR Correspondence
Procedures Manual. (Exception: If a report is published annually and did not
need to go to the Governor's Office the previous year, a DWR 4215a is not required.
See the February 28, 1995, memo below. Attach a copy of the memo and other
notes from the previous year showing the report was exempted.)
Attached to the approval-to-print memo are:
Oversize copy (figures, tables, and other material larger than 8-1/2 x 11
inches) is
retained by Reports Administration while the bulletin is being approved for
printing.
Reports Administration makes this material available to reviewers upon request.
When all reviews are complete and the Director has signed the approval-to-print
memo, the Director's Correspondence Unit takes the following steps:
Legislatively Mandated Reports. If a report is legislatively
mandated, it must be sent to The Resources Agency, which may also send it to
the Governor's Office. The approval procedure for a mandated report is a little
different than that for a regular report. The steps are as follows:
A form 4215a is shown on the following page. Use one page only (signature
blocks can be squeezed, if necessary). Forms are available from Reports Administration
in the Division of Planning, Publication and Editorial Services in the Division
of Local Assistance, and the supply room.
The list of individuals who must receive copies of legislatively mandated
reports and the instructions for transmitting them to the Legislature are
contained in Section 284.3 of the DWR Correspondence Procedures Manual.
Call the Assistant Director for Legislation's secretary for possible updates
to the list. To meet the distribution requirements for a legislatively mandated
report, allocate up to 14 additional copies and make certain they are distributed
as required.
Pink Mail Control Slips (DWR Form 430). Approval-to-print
memos are routed with DWR's standard pink mail control slips. These forms
reflect the routing of the memo and include other routing as well.
For example, DLA's Publication and Editorial Services reviews reports for
the Division of Local Assistance before the DLA Chief signs off; Reports Administration
tracks the production process; and the Director's Correspondence Unit logs
the package through executive-level review. Others, such as the Chief Counsel's
Office, may be added to the routing somewhere along the line. These names
are typed in the "Other Routing" column of the pink slip, as appropriate.
The DCU will not accept reports until they are signed off by Reports Administration.
Examples of control slips are shown below.
Printing
Bulletins have traditionally been printed at the Office of State Printing
because of the need for a wraparound binding and a large number of copies.
Reports Administration will help coordinate the printing of bulletins with
the printing plant. However, DWR Reprographics may be able to handle the job,
depending on the reprographic needs involved.
Release
After the bulletin is printed by DWR Reprographics or the Office of State
Printing,
Records Management sends four copies to the program manager for review. A maximum
of five working days is considered sufficient for this review. If a serious
fault is found in the document, the Supervisor of Technical Publications should
be notified promptly.
The program manager releases the bulletin for distribution by preparing
an approval to release memo, two transmittal letters, and five address labels,
as follows:
If a special mailing list is being used and the mailing labels were not
sent with the memo requesting approval to print, they should be sent with the
release memo. If the report was legislatively mandated, attach a copy of the
approved DWR Form 4215a/b and prepare letters of transmittal to the Legislature
as shown in Section 284.3 of the DWR Correspondence Procedures Manual.
When the Director's Correspondence Unit receives the release memo and letters,
it sends the letters to the Director for signature. When the Director signs
the letters, DCU forwards the letters and labels to the Bulletins and Reports
Unit in Records Management for report distribution.
If a bulletin is of special public interest, the Director may ask the Office
of Water Education to prepare a statement for the press.
Release by Individual Volume. A separately bound volume
or part of a multivolume bulletin is customarily released when it is printed.
Delayed Release. Bulletin originators wishing to delay
release of a separately bound portion of a bulletin until remaining volumes
have been printed must make written application to the appropriate Deputy Director,
by way of the Supervisor of Technical Publications. The request must include
justification for such action and contain an approval block for the Deputy
Director's signature.
Distribution
Attachment A. This form (DWR Form 2396) tells Records
Management how a bulletin should be distributed. Attachment A specifies the
authorization for publishing a bulletin, indicates the type of distribution
list to be used, and states the total number of copies to be printed. (See
form 2396 on the following page.)
Basic Distribution. All bulletins are sent to those on
the basic list that appears on the reverse of Attachment A. This requires
300 copies of each bulletin. Upon notification by the Director's Correspondence
Unit that a bulletin has been approved for release, Records Management routinely
makes the basic distribution.
State Water Project water service contractors receive copies of all bulletins
dealing with the SWP (for example, the annual Bulletin 132, Management
of the California State Water Project, and its appendixes). These bulletins
are distributed using a Water Service Contractors Council Memorandum (DWR 1647).
This memo is prepared in final form by the bulletin originator and routed through
the appropriate approval chain to the Director for signature along with the
bulletin approval-to-print package. (See example on the following page.)
Mailing Lists. There are two kinds of mailing lists--those
for bulletins published one time only and those for bulletins published periodically.
For one-time bulletins, a mailing list and mailing labels should be prepared
and sent along with the approval-to-print package. For periodic bulletins,
such as Bulletin 132 , a computerized mailing list is maintained by Records
Management. (See "Text Topics," for more details.)
Special Distribution. For a one-time bulletin (not part
of a series), the program manager compiles the mailing list and sends it to
Records Management.
Part of the basic distribution is made in accordance with the Library Distribution
Act. This law, which is administered by the State Library, provides for the
distribution of State publications to two classes of libraries in California:
The State Library designates which libraries will receive State publications
and to which class each will belong and circulates to State agencies updated
lists of complete and selective depositories. State agencies are required
to send their publications to both complete and selective depositories. Records
Management is responsible for distributing DWR publications to California libraries
designated under the Library Distribution Act. (See the latest issue of Bulletin
170, Department Publications, for a list of the libraries receiving copies
under the act.)
Copies of a bulletin of significance to specific geographic areas of California
should be made available to members of the Legislature and Congress who represent
those areas. However, the Legislature has asked State agencies to send reports
to individual legislators only if requested to do so. To meet that request,
check with the legislators' offices to make sure they want the report. When
the package requesting approval to release is sent forward, the program manager
should also furnish final letters to these legislators that explain how the
bulletin pertains to their areas of representation. The final letters are
signed by the Director.
Storage for Posterity
Records Management permanently reserves 10 copies of every bulletin for
posterity. When the supply of a bulletin drops to that level, Records Management
declares a bulletin to be out of print. If a supply greater than 15 copies
exists five years following
release of a bulletin, Records Management asks whether the program manager
wishes to reduce the stock and have the document declared to be out of print.
Identification of Elected Officials
State law prohibits State and local elected officers from using public funds
to further their candidacy for reelection by sending out newsletters and other
mass mailings. The California Fair Political Practices Commission has promulgated
regulations to carry out this law. Under normal circumstances, these regulations
allow State and local elected officers, except the Governor, to have their
names or photos in DWR reports, newsletters, and mass mailings. For example,
it's all right to name a legislator when referring to specific legislation,
such as saying that "The study was proposed in response to SB 900 (Costa)."
However, the name of an elected officer affiliated with an agency,
such as the Governor, may appear only in the letterhead, logotype of stationery,
or forms of the agency with which he or she is affiliated. Therefore, we can
only put the Governor's name on the cover, title page, and organization page
of our reports. No other references, including signatures or photographs, are
permitted.
"Elected officer affiliated with an agency" is defined by the regulations
as meaning "an elected officer who is a member, officer, or employee of the
agency, or of a subunit thereof such a committee, or who has supervisory control
over the agency, or who appoints one or more of that agency."
Call the Chief Counsel's Office for advice if you're not sure about a specific
situation.
Return to DWR Publications Guidelines contents
page.
Return to Reports Administration
page.
Return to Division of Planning
Homepage.
Production
1 Chief, Division of Local Assistance (for District offices only)
2 Chief, Office of Water Education (or to the Legislative Office
if
report is legislatively mandated)
3 Appropriate Deputy Director
4 Director
Selective Depositories (they receive selected State publications).
Complete Depositories (they receive at least one copy of every State
publication).
