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11 - Collaboration and stakeholder engagement

from Part II - Water resources planning and management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2011

By
Jeff Loux
Edited by
R. Quentin Grafton  and
Karen Hussey
Jeff Loux
Affiliation:
U.C. Davis Extension, Davis, California
R. Quentin Grafton
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Karen Hussey
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
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Summary

Introduction and background

This chapter examines how stakeholder processes and collaborative approaches can be applied to water resources projects. Following some background information and definitions, the chapter explores specific methods and techniques for stakeholder work, relying on an in-depth case study (the Water Forum in the region surrounding Sacramento, California) to illustrate concepts, techniques, and outcomes.

Why stakeholder engagement is essential

Current trends in water management argue for a more collaborative and stakeholder-driven approach than has been used in the past. Integrated water management plans that rely on multiple sources of supply require the cooperation of various agencies and communities beyond the boundaries of any one water provider. Water management programs, like conjunctive use of surface and ground water, integrate multiple water rights, private land owners, and regulatory agencies to achieve a solution. Requirements to identify and analyse environmental effects and third-party impacts of water management decisions bring in diverse interests and issues. Seeking projects that offer multiple benefits – like flood control, habitat restoration and groundwater recharge – add to the mix of partners and potential conflicts that may arise. Watershed or catchment plans in diverse landscapes require voluntary cooperation of dozens of stakeholders and organisations. And the ever-present threat of litigation or costly political rancor looms large in the complex world of water resources. Interdependence is indeed the wave of the present.

Type
Chapter
Information
Water Resources Planning and Management , pp. 251 - 273
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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References

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