Evidence for Tackling the Complexities of Water Governance

• Author: Tanya Heikkila
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12679
• Published date: 01 January 2017
• Date: 01 January 2017

Evidence for Tackling the Complexities of Water Governance 17

Public Administration Review,

Vol. 77, Iss. 1, pp. 17–20. © 2016 by

The American Society for Public Administration.

DOI: 10.1111/puar.12679.

Tanya Heikkila is professor in the School

of Public Affairs, University of Colorado

Denver, and codirector of the Workshop

on Policy Process Research. Her research

explores questions related to environmental

policy and governance, with an emphasis on

collaboration and conflict around common-

pool resources. She is particularly fascinated

by collective struggles to manage, share,

and allocate water resources.

E-mail: tanya.heikkila@ucdenver.edu

Abstract : Water policy and management decisions are increasingly challenged by uncertainties associated with climate

change, changing demographics, and social values. This article discusses how research by water governance scholars

supports and complements Rob M. Skinner ’ s arguments about the complexities of water planning and policy making

and the importance of stakeholder engagement. Specifically, it focuses on how this decision-making context shapes

the ways in which evidence is used and understood in water governance. To conclude, this article draws lessons for

practitioners about the limitations of using evidence in water governance.

R eliable access to clean water is necessary to

sustain ecological and human life, grow food,

produce energy, and develop economies.

However, water often is not available at the right

place and time, or of the right quality, to meet these

competing demands. As a result, collective decisions

by communities and governments are often needed to

establish rules and strategies to protect and maintain

sustainable water supplies. These decisions can be

challenged by uncertainties associated with climate

change, changing demographics, and social values.

Therefore, whether and how we continue to learn

about these changing conditions and priorities for

water use are important considerations for ensuring

that our water policies and institutions are capable of

meeting water needs in the future.

This article responds to the lessons offered by Rob

M. Skinner about the changing nature of water policy

and planning processes. In his article “Water Policy in

a Time of Climate Change: Coping with Complexity,”

he highlights the use of “evidence”—particularly

scientific or technical evidence—and the factors

that influence the use of evidence in water policy

and planning. First, he argues that several emerging

issues, including climate change, new technologies,

urbanization, and changing citizen expectations,

have challenged long-held assumptions that water

management can be based on clear-cut “evidence-

informed” processes. Second, he emphasizes that

political considerations often take primacy in making

water policy and management choices. Skinner

uses three examples of water planning processes

in southeastern Australia to illustrate his points.

In exploring these cases, Skinner concludes that

authentic stakeholder engagement has become critical

in addressing the complexities of water planning and

that new leadership by public administrators is needed

to foster such engagement. In response to Skinner, this

article discusses how research from water governance

scholars, or scholarly evidence in general, supports

and complements his arguments. It concludes with

lessons learned about the use of evidence in water

governance, drawing on insights from the literature

and Skinner ’ s examples.

Support for Skinner: The Complexities

of Water Policy, Planning, and Management

The three Australian cases that Skinner uses to

illustrate his arguments are not unique. Many

countries in recent years have faced extreme

hydrological events and growing uncertainties

over how to meet existing and future water needs.

In 2016 alone, the Global Drought Information

System identified severe droughts in multiple

countries across nearly every continent—including

parts of the United States, Canada, India, China,

Brazil, Malawi, Namibia, Central America, and

Southern Europe. Warming temperatures resulting

from climate change are expected to exacerbate

such trends in coming decades. At the same time,

numerous countries regularly experience water crises

associated with poor water quality, water access,

and flooding—challenges that can compound water

scarcity dilemmas (Lall et al. 2008 ). While evidence

of the physical drivers of such crises typically comes

from research in fields such as hydrology and

climatology, how humans understand, define, and

influence such crises have been examined by scholars

in public policy, geography, political science, public

administration, and economics. Like Skinner, these

researchers recognize that water crises are not simply

Kimberley R . Isett , Brian W . Head , and Gary VanLandingham , Editors

Tanya Heikkila

University of Colorado Denver

Evidence for Tackling the Complexities of Water Governance

Evidence in Public

Administration