Normative Assessment of Enabling Factors for Adaptive Water Governance; Evidence and Lessons from the Hirmand River Basin, Iran

Based on analyzing the composing elements of the water governance regime in the Hirmand River Basin, Iran, this paper examines the factors that facilitate the emergence of Adaptive Governance in a Global South context. Although the literature provides valuable insights into the characteristics of a well-established Adaptive Governance regime in...

Stabilization of the Lower Jamuna River in Bangladesh: Hydraulic and Morphological Assessment

This paper presents a hydraulic and morphological analysis of the Lower Jamuna in Bangladesh with a focus on two key bifurcations that are important for stabilization of the Lower Jamuna reach. We used ground measurements, historical data, multispectral satellite images from various sources as well as numerical models. We carried out hydraulic...

Coastal and riverine ecosystems as adaptive flood defenses under a changing climate

Adaptation planning for flood risk forms a significant part of global climate change response. Engineering responses to higher water levels can be prohibitively costly. Several recent studies emphasize the potential role of ecosystems in flood protection as adaptive risk reduction measures while also contributing to carbon fixation. Here, we...

Adaptive delta management: Roots and branches

Deltas are generally recognized as vulnerable to climate change and therefore a salient topic in adaptation science. Deltas are also highly dynamic systems viewed from physical (erosion, sedimentation, subsidence), social (demographic), economic (trade), infrastructures (transport, energy, metropolization) and cultural (multiethnic) perspectives...

A process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden by implementing adaptive water management

During normal situations there is enough fresh water available for all functions in the Netherlands. But in times of droughts fresh water supply and water safety are at risk. For these periods of water scarcity, a sequence of priority on available fresh water distribution is present. However, experts consider that even these precautions are...

SimDelta global: Towards a standardised interactive model for water infrastructure development

The research project ‘SimDelta’ builds on novel internet technology to support the development of the Rhine-Meuse delta water infrastructure. It has three goals: education, organisation of research and design studies, and stakeholder polling. A current question is how the SimDelta technology could be made transferable to systems outside Europe,...

Implementing participatory water management: Recent advances in theory, practice, and evaluation

Many current water planning and management problems are riddled with high levels of complexity, uncertainty, and conflict, so-called “messes” or “wicked problems.” The realization that there is a need to consider a wide variety of values, knowledge, and perspectives in a collaborative decision making process has led to a multitude of new methods...

Water Management on the Island of IJsselmonde 1000 to 1953: Polycentric Governance, Adaptation, and Petrification

One of the central tenets of adaptive management is polycentric governance. Yet, despite the popularity of the concept, few detailed case studies of polycentric governance systems exist. In this paper, we aim to partly fill this gap. We describe water management between the years 1000 and 1953 on the Dutch island of IJsselmonde in the...

Implementing Participatory Water Management: Recent Advances in Theory, Practice, and Evaluation

Many current water planning and management problems are riddled with high levels of complexity, uncertainty, and conflict, so-called “messes” or “wicked problems.” The realization that there is a need to consider a wide variety of values, knowledge, and perspectives in a collaborative decision making process has led to a multitude of new methods...

Does collaboration enhance learning?The challenge of learning from collaborative water management research

Does collaboration between researchers and other stakeholders enhance mutual cognitive learning?  To answer this question, this thesis analyzes two research processes concerning future flood management in the Lower Rhine basin and groundwater management in and around Delft. The  results suggest that only intensive collaboration enhances learning...

Assessing Management Regimes in Transboundary River Basins: Do They Support Adaptive Management?

River basin management is faced with complex problems that are characterized by uncertainty and change. In transboundary river basins, historical, legal, and cultural differences add to the complexity. The literature on adaptive management gives several suggestions for handling this complexity. It recognizes the importance of management regimes...

The Growing Importance of Social Learning in Water Resources Management and Sustainability Science

Guest Editorial, part of a Special Feature on Social Learning in Water Resources Management.

Social Learning and Water Resources Management

Natural resources management in general, and water resources management in particular, are currently undergoing a major paradigm shift. Management practices have largely been developed and implemented by experts using technical means based on designing systems that can be predicted and controlled. In recent years, stakeholder involvement has...