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MRR
36,12 Water resource co-management
and sustainable regional
development
1238
Cheryl de Boer and Hans Bressers
CSTM, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
Abstract
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Purpose Given the importance of multi-stakeholder processes in managing water resources, this
paper aims to shed light on various project management strategies being used in The Netherlands to
increase the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing multifunctional water projects.
Design/methodology/approach Using two sub-projects of the restoration of the Regge River as a
case study, ten strategies used by project managers are uncovered through interviewing involved
actors and analysing the results according to contextual interaction theory.
Findings These strategies support local sustainable development through the overlapping of
various local goals of different stakeholders and reducing risk of failed projects. Co-management can
thus be used as a strategic way to achieve goal alignment, increased information and resources and
trust.
Originality/value Given the pressures related to adaptation for climate change, these lessons can
be used to support increasing both the natural buffering capacity of river resources in a way that also
improve the economic and social values associated with the river basins.
Keywords Project management, Boundary spanning, Receptivity, Resource management,
River restoration, Water co-management
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction
Many challenges are associated with the sustainable use and management of water at
the regional level. In relation to this, a plethora of policies have been developed at many
levels of government to address the water issues and can complicate the environment in
which actions of local stakeholders take place. The water itself is not directly affected
through these policies, but through what happens as a result of them being put into
action by those responsible for implementing water management tasks. This process is
regarded widely as the implementation phase and during this phase it is important for
water managers to take advantage of scarce opportunities through remaining as flexible
as possible in their strategies and perceptions of goal achievement (De Boer and
Bressers, 2011). High levels of accountability are still achievable through this approach
when the performance criteria are under reflexive adjustment and are not fixed
regardless of new situations (Pires, 2011). The field of implementation studies is quite
The research conducted for the cases included in this study was partially funded as part of the
SYSTERRA de lAgence Nationale de la Recherche (French Research Council) Project: New
Management Research Review
Vol. 36 No. 12, 2013 Rurality. The authors thank them for their support as well as partners of the authors: CItes
pp. 1238-1251 Territoires Environnement Societes (Universite de Tours France), Centre Interdisciplinaire de
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2040-8269
Recherche sur les Territoires et leur Amenagement (Universite Paul Cezanne France) and
DOI 10.1108/MRR-07-2013-0160 IDHEAP Institut De Hautes Etudes en Administration Publique (Lausanne Switzerland).
mature and has gone through a number of stages (De Boer, 2012). According to Montjoy Water resource
and OToole (1979) policy implementation is made up of the decisions that take place in co-management
carrying out a policy, which is different than the impact of the policy. The water
resources are in this case the ultimate target and are affected by the decisions that are
made and the actions that are taken, or not, in relation to the policies that are formed.
Policy implementation is understood in this article as a process that involves the whole
of all activities that are connected to the employment of a preconceived set of policy 1239
measures (Dinica and Bressers, 2003, p. 2).
The current and recent efforts being undertaken by the European Union as a
means of safeguarding and improving national and transboundary water resources
have been viewed as embracing flexibility and other progressive efforts (Kuks, 2004;
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De Boer et al., 2011). Examples such as the European Union Water Framework
Directive show possibilities for improving the sustainable use of water resources in a
number of different contexts with a single (though detailed) progressive policy
document. The Netherlands provides a particularly interesting example of innovative
implementation efforts since water management has a long history and importance in
the daily lives of its citizens.
One size in policy making however, does not fit all. The context that water
management takes place within, has a great deal of impact on the activities that result
(De Boer et al., 2013). This context has both content and structure, both of which are
influential. The dynamics of the implementation processes also influence the involved
actors, and simultaneously these actors play an active role in the process in terms of
determining how the context influences the resulting implementation. Understanding
these processes can be supported through analysing the enabling factors related to
these actions (De Boer, 2012). Managers involved in water related projects can use this
information to reduce risks and improve opportunities when strategising, planning
and implementing their projects.
This paper provides an example of some water management processes taking place
in a country recognized as a world leader in water management, The Netherlands.
This leadership has arisen partially due to the inherent concerns related to water level
management. The increasing frequency of high and low water levels as a result of
climate change is a particularly important concern in recent times. Modern awareness
of these issues has led to a drastic change of approach in water, land and nature
management to support naturally resilient physical infrastructure that provides for both
human and natural environmental needs. Most notably in the parts of The Netherlands
which are above sea level, water management in general is often practiced through
co-management. Many goals apart from solely water quality and quantity management
are being integrated in recent activities and projects being undertaken by water
management authorities (De Boer and Bressers, 2011, 2013). Water retention, nature,
recreation, economic diversification, agriculture, cultural history are often involved
which then requires consultation and partnership with each of the responsible
organizations and NGOs. This arrangement of relationships often creates the need for
boundary spanning between actors, as well as rules and resources to cope with the
complexity and dynamics of the process (Bressers and Lulofs, 2010).
This paper explores the design, development and implementation of projects and
programmes that are focused on planning for multi-functionality, increasing space for
rivers and the connection of natural areas. These efforts are at the heart of new
MRR initiatives in the Dutch rural areas to meet European and National habitat and water
36,12 quality and quantity goals and require special skill sets from the involved managers
due to the complexity and dynamics that are inherent to them. Here, we investigate a
long-term program that is taking place in the Eastern region of Twente that is dealing
with the restoration of the Regge River. The Regge River is a 52 km tributary river in
the Rhine basin that is embedded in a multi-level governance context. The restoration
1240 project deals with a wide range of actors and groups including agreements with
riparian farmers and connections made to the EU Water Framework Directive. The
process underway is one of co-management, which couples various interests
originating at different scales and levels of the governance context. Project managers
from different organisations work collectively towards a common goal, while not
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purposes and, respectively, many levels and scales of governments and private
organizations are involved. The project becomes something more than just a water
management process through the inclusion of nature development aspects as well as
other relevant policies and societal goals. The Regge restoration in particular is
connected to water buffering policies and other projects such as plans to connect
ecological corridors on a larger scale. This manner of project management results in
projects of a significant size and level of ambition and thus often becomes quite complex
and dynamic. These qualities provide ample room to negotiate and develop
relationships throughout the implementation process, and it is also long enough to
make modifying the context possible and often beneficial to the actors involved (De Boer
and Bressers, 2011). Analysis of the processes should thus take into consideration that
not only the process, but also its context evolves and is made to evolve. Relevant policies
in the Regge case were observed to undergo substantial changes within the project
period studied.
The complexity of project implementation and the various strategies of coping with
the resulting level of unpredictability in the system are quite common in Dutch water
and nature restoration projects. On the basis of the many case studies that have been
completed (Projectteam Evaluatie Nationaal Bestuursakkoord Water, 2006) the Regge
restoration process appears to be progressing in a reasonably successful manner. This is
as compared to approximately half of the other cases which are not progressing well at
all. Many of these other projects have run into unforeseen obstacles during the
implementation phase. They tend to specify results in the form of rivalries in resource
use that are solved and in terms of natural and manmade resources values being
improved (Knoepfel and Nahrath, 2005). From this perspective the Regge restoration is
seen as a success. Following a brief explanation of our theoretical framework for
analyzing multi-stakeholder interaction implementation processes and thus also
situations of co-management, we revisit this issue and offer the results of our analysis
which provides some possible reasons for this success. We illustrate this through the
description of the Kalvenhaar and Visschebelt-Koemast projects, two of the Regge River
restoration projects.
linkage zone. A variant of this plan including the Ben & Jerrys factory at the urban
side of the new road would still intrude too much on this area, and in addition would
make it impossible for the factory to have a visitors centre overlooking the river plain
and the grazing cows that they actually obtain their milk from. The Municipality has
developed a plan that would turn the present street into a parallel road and the new
main road would be set behind some natural brush, a solution that was able to satisfy
the households that are adjacent to the present north-south road. The only place where
it is not possible to accomplish this is right in front of the Ben & Jerry factory, for
which money has been made available to erect a noise screen that would also remove
the view of the factory and its traffic. In this process, the households are to a certain
extent allowed to shop for what they would like in order to improve their situation
with the money made available. The company itself also wants to contribute to the
improvement of the situation by relocating its truck entrance to the side where it can be
connected to a roundabout to decrease the already present nuisance for the adjacent
houses. The Municipality is also collaborating with the factory and supporting its idea
to make the plant a sustainability showcase. They believe that it could be decisive in
future decisions by this multinational to remain in the Municipality and thus important
for many direct and indirect jobs.
Even though municipal elections were very near and thus political sensitivity was
higher than usual, the project team held a walk in meeting in March 2010. The reason
being that they felt it was very important to do this before the plans became too elaborated
and because it was not an option to delay the preparation since both of the main subsidies
and the provincial reserve funds required that the work started before the end of 2010.
They tried to use their knowledge of the area and the people to develop aspects in such a
way that would give them a sense of co-ownership over the project. For instance they knew
that the neighbouring village of Hellendoorn has many associations that are interested in
the rich cultural history of the area and so they deliberately invited them to give their input.
The organizers of the villages Easter Fire (a very old tradition in Overijssel) were invited
because there was a debate happening surrounding the smoke blanket that is caused by
the large fire and then carried over the village by Western winds. The project was
recognised as having the area to offer possibilities to improve this situation. Ben & Jerrys
was also invited and considered it to be a good opportunity to explain their vision and
position to a wider audience than just the neighbours and officials that were directly
involved. All of the issues that were brought up were noted and attempts were to be made
to resolve or explain them. In this way the project team hoped that appeals by the
community that could block the progress of the project could be avoided. In actuality, there
were no appeals in any of the Regge restoration projects in the Municipality of Water resource
Hellendoorn, which is quite extraordinary for such projects in The Netherlands. co-management
4.2 Summary of relevant observations
Infrastructure, recreation and eco-education benefits are present in this project in
addition to the more typical results in terms of water buffering, nature development
and landscape. The elegant manner in which the new infrastructure, a north-south 1245
connection road, is worked into the landscape, will hopefully help speed up the
realization of the road by reducing any negative feelings towards the project by the
community. The area is a relatively appropriate one for holding the regional and
traditional Easter fires and so supporting this through reducing the negative impacts is
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another example of a side benefit that has been provided by the process taken. The
creation of a visitors centre for the large ice-cream factory in the project area also
serves to underline its own green image. In turn, the municipality hopes that this will
reinforce the attractiveness for further investment in the plant by the head company.
This would thus also improve the strength of the economic basis of the town. These
observations can be understood in greater depth by analysing the main actor
characteristics exhibited during the processes.
4.3 Motivations
The motivations of the actors involved can shed light on how it was possible that they
were able to work so well together with so many different and generally separately
handled project goals. The motivation of the Water Board to fulfil its water
management tasks through river restoration was supported by a number of others in
the area. One farmer was motivated to stop farming, and another to continue but in
another place. The Municipality wanted the farmer to be moved to a more suitable
location, and build a new road that would be accepted by citizens in the area.
Landscape Overijssel was interested in adding to their natural protected area in that
region. Ben & Jerrys wanted to expand their visiting centre and the inhabitants were
against having their landscape and quiet atmosphere further disrupted by additional
traffic and a road within closer proximity to their houses. These motivations could be
coupled since the various actors were aware of them and could thus look for
opportunities to work together to achieve their various goals.
4.4 Cognitions
By exposing the different cognitions of the actors involved, their underlying reasoning
and positioning can be better understood. This can help to determine whether or not
other efforts being taken within the process will be able to be coupled to reach consensus
and progress. One aspect of cognitions which stands out is that the inhabitants were
very concerned about moving the road closer to their houses because they believed that
this would be seriously detrimental to their living environment in terms of noise and
pollution. This was addressed through the public walk in meetings where they showed
the different options that could be taken to minimize this and as well different options for
compensating them in other ways. Though at the time of the interviews the procedure
was not complete, it looked like this change of perceptions of the possible consequences
of the plan would succeed in indirectly causing the neighbours motivations to become
less opposed to the overall project.
MRR 4.5 Resources
36,12 As mentioned above, resources were exchanged and coupled in different ways to
influence the interaction process. Ben & Jerrys for example were willing to contribute
additional resources in the form of additional road-work and infrastructure to prevent
their residential neighbours from using their main power resource against the project
and appeal the project to the courts.
1246
4.6 Strategies and receptivity
Strategies used were the inclusion of the plant management in the project and in the
information meetings on the project (actor constellation). This information meeting
was not postponed even though it was election time because of the pressure of subsidy
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deadlines and because they felt it was important in terms of getting information for the
initiators themselves. Local knowledge is very important to be able to see new
opportunities, for instance inviting the organization of the Easter fires to use the area,
and creating further goodwill. Local knowledge about the wishes of landowners and
other people had also already been gathered while working on the Kalvenhaar project
on the other side of the Regge.
The receptivity of the project team was shown through how it dealt with the new
funding schemes that had made integrated projects more difficult to achieve by forcing
an increased emphasis on the separate goals. In order to work within requirements of the
funding structure, the project team chose to divide the project into two parts (officially).
To prevent the two parts from becoming incompatible with one another all of the
established intensive communication and trust that had developed in the (still joint)
project team was fostered and maintained. Another good example of the receptivity of
the project team was that they could see the opportunities that the inclusion of a private
company could have in the development of and support for the plan. This inclusion was
far from obvious, because until recently these types of inclusions had rarely been
considered in Dutch water projects. The support of the administrators of the Waterboard
and Municipality for exploring such inclusive strategies provided very useful support in
addition to the receptivity of the project team.
various sources, and of scarce space in a dense country, but it is also a way to increase
the likelihood of achieving actor constellations with supportive characteristics
(motivations, cognitions, resources) for the progress of the process.
motivations of the people involved and can make it possible to influence them. Actively
investigating the interests of groups in the community is also done in order to increase
resources in an innovative way through access to community funding.
assessing the situation and the other actors to look for possibilities to create new
opportunities. This involves making good use of the important element of timing.
6. Conclusion
Sustainable regional development can be supported by river restoration projects when
they take advantage of various overlaps in goals and ambitions of different
stakeholders. The nature of the processes are often quite local, but the cases described
here show how different levels of policies and programs can influence their outcome and
can even provide additional support and opportunities. The resulting implementation
contexts can however develop into something quite complex and co-management is
often a key process used to progress. Co-management can be used in a strategic way to
take advantage of goal alignment, increased information and resources, and trusting
relationships to overcome obstacles and maximise opportunities. To understand the use
of co-management and other strategies towards the improvement of the natural
ecosystem and the social, cultural and economic environment requires the researcher to
look past the typical project management phases and address the dynamic and
innovative processes at work. The resulting analysis has shown that in these type of
projects it is indeed possible to maximize their value for sustainable regional
development by being open to complexity and uncertainty in a good balance with
strategic goal achievement. For the water managers in these types of projects, this
involves external strategies to influence the degree to which such projects are supported.
In turn the use of this external and adaptive orientation requires a high degree of
receptivity of the organizations themselves. Internal strategies to enhance these new
capacities are often also required.
References
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The ISEE Conference on Sustainability in a Time of Crisis, Oldenburg-Bremen, August
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The Renaturalization of the Dutch Regge River, University of Twente, Enschede.
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Further reading
Bressers, H. and Kuks, S. (2006), Water basin regimes in Europe and institutional conditions for
their sustainability, in Grover, V.I. (Ed.), Water: Global Common and Global Problems,
Science Publishers, Enfield, NH, pp. 235-268.
van Leussen, W. (2011), Leven met water: Waterbeheer in Nederland volgens de
stroomgebiedbenadering in een tijd van klimaatverandering, University of Twente,
Enschede.
Corresponding author
Cheryl de Boer can be contacted at: c.deboer@utwente.nl