Staying the Course: Collaborative Modeling to Support Adaptive and Resilient Water Resource Governance in the Inland Northwest

King, Allyson Beall; Thornton, Melanie

doi:10.3390/w8060232

Cited by 23 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…A number of recent case studies that highlight local water managers' identified strategies and barriers in adapting to climate-induced water supply variability compare well with our case study findings [29,31,36,45,[88][89][90]. In the Wasatch Range of northern Utah, for example, water managers described challenges with enhancing water supply to meet growing population demand, obtaining funds to build and restore aging infrastructure, and coordinating diverse water use interests [31].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…Continuous and iterative engagement with local water managers in the Palouse and Spokane basins in northwest Washington, for example, clarified science communication needs and facilitated more adaptive water governance [45]. Mutual recognition of their interdependent water uses motivated adaptation to 2004 drought conditions among water users in the Bear River Basin of Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Faced with climate-induced water supply variability, managers in other river systems were reluctant to coordinate with one another to enhance institutional adaptive capacity to achieve mutually agreeable solutions [89], mobilize regional knowledge exchange to balance adaptive capacity [29], and institutionalize resilience and adaptive management in advance of a potential water management crisis [45]. Thus, collaborative research that facilitates increased communication and coordination should inform future climate planning so that it meets the needs of diverse water users [90].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Briefly, this project relies on iterative interaction with 12 water managers, each representing large numbers of individual water users that comprise the primary and diverse water uses geographically distributed from the headwaters to the system terminus [45,47,51,73]. Figure 2 illustrates the research design, including the location on the river system of the 12 water management organizations.…”

Section: Collaborative Modeling Research Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Sterle

Singletary

2017

Water

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Abstract:In snow-fed inland river systems in the western United States, water supply depends upon timing, form, and amount of precipitation. In recent years, this region has experienced unprecedented drought conditions due to decreased snowpack, exacerbated by exceptionally warmer winter temperatures averaging 3-4 • C above normal. In the snow-fed Truckee-Carson River System, two sets of interviews were conducted as part of a larger collaborative modeling case study with local water managers to examine local adaptation to current drought conditions. A comparative analysis of these primary qualitative data, collected during the fourth and fifth consecutive years of continued warmer drought conditions, identifies shifts in adaptation strategies and emergent adaptation barriers. That is, under continuous exposure to climate stressors, managers shifted their adaptation focus from short-term efforts to manage water demand toward long-term efforts to enhance water supply. Managers described the need to: improve forecasts and scientific assessments of snowmelt timing, groundwater levels, and soil moisture content; increase flexibility of prior appropriation water allocation rules based on historical snowpack and streamflow timing; and foster collaboration and communication among water managers across the river system. While water scarcity and insufficient water delivery infrastructure remain significant impediments in this arid region, climate uncertainty emerged as a barrier surrounding adaptation to variable water supply. Existing prior appropriation based water institutions were also described as an adaptation barrier, meriting objective evaluation to assess how to best modify these historical institutions to support dynamic adaptation to climate-induced water supply variability. This study contributes to a growing body of research that assesses drought adaptation in snow-fed inland river systems, and contributes a unique report concerning how adaptation strategies and barriers encountered by local water managers change over time under continuous exposure to climate stressors. These locally identified adaptation strategies forward a larger collaborative modeling case study by informing alternative water management scenarios simulated through a suite of hydrologic and operations models tailored to this river system.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Collaborative Modeling Research Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Sterle

Singletary

2017

Water

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“…Increasingly, theoretically grounded science research surrounding complex problems stemming from climate uncertainty is adopting such participatory approaches [11,22] including group model building, participatory modeling, multi-criteria/multi-decision-making, and collaborative modeling [23]. These approaches are characterized by thoughtfully planned and implemented group procedure, which includes facilitated discussion, deliberation, and problem solving [21,24].…”

Section: Collaborative Modeling As a Participatory Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaborative Modeling to Assess Drought Resiliency of Snow‐Fed River Dependent Communities in the Western United States: A Case Study in the Truckee‐Carson River System

Singletary

Sterle

2017

Water

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Abstract:Assessing the drought resilience of snow-fed river dependent communities in the arid Western United States has taken on critical importance in response to changing climatic conditions. The process of assessing drought resiliency involves understanding the extent to which snow-fed dependent communities can absorb the effects of uncertain and variable water supplies while acknowledging and encouraging their capacity for adaptation. Participatory research approaches are particularly well suited to assess resiliency in this context because they rely upon local water managers' knowledge and perspectives. The research presented here provides measured insight into local water managers' perceptions of drought resiliency in the Truckee-Carson River System in northwestern Nevada. These findings are reported in the context of the collaborative modeling research design developed for this case study. The objectives of this study are: (1) to define resiliency and present a rationale for a participatory approach to assess drought resiliency in snow-fed arid river basins in the Western United States; (2) to outline collaborative modeling as a participatory research design developed for the Truckee-Carson River System case study area; (3) to describe the development and implementation of a resiliency assessment undertaken to implement this research design; (4) to highlight selected results of the assessment, summarizing interviews with 66 water managers in the case study area; (5) to discuss the use of assessment findings to inform collaborative modeling toward adaptation strategies; and (6) to review lessons learned to date from the collaborative modeling case study and note opportunities for further exploration. According to water managers surveyed, climate change is very important and is mobilizing adaptation strategies that include improvements in communication and coordination with other water managers, monitoring and data collection, and planning. The majority of water managers indicate that future adaptation requires modifying institutionalized water management regimes to allow for temporary water leasing programs, water right stacking on the most productive agricultural lands while fallowing marginal lands, incentivizing water conservation, reducing or eliminating residential landscaping, and recruiting less water intensive industry to the region.

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Identifying behavioural patterns of coupled water‐agriculture systems using system archetypes

et al. 2020

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Managing water and food systems in South Africa is complex given the factors involved in sustainably managing the sector. To ensure sustainable management of water and agricultural systems, equal access to natural resources, and economic equality, the government has implemented policies to regulate the systems and ensure economic growth. However, the unintended consequences of these policies on the sustainability of water and agricultural systems have not been fully understood in South Africa. This paper identified and analysed four system archetypes believed to have implications for current water and agricultural development policies in South Africa. These are ‘Limits to Growth’, ‘Fixes that Fail’, ‘Shifting the Burden’, and the ‘Attractiveness Principle’. The results show that policies implemented by the government ensure inclusiveness, equal access to natural resources, and improve productivity in the short‐term; the unintended consequences will ultimately undermine sustainability and food security over time.

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Staying the Course: Collaborative Modeling to Support Adaptive and Resilient Water Resource Governance in the Inland Northwest

Cited by 23 publications

References 43 publications

Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Collaborative Modeling to Assess Drought Resiliency of Snow‐Fed River Dependent Communities in the Western United States: A Case Study in the Truckee‐Carson River System

Identifying behavioural patterns of coupled water‐agriculture systems using system archetypes

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