From implementation towards maintenance: sustaining collaborative initiatives for integrated floodplain management in the Netherlands

Abstract

Collaborative governance has been introduced in the planning and implementation phases of river management, but has not yet reached the maintenance phase. In anticipation of this, this article explores how stakeholders shape collaborative initiatives aimed at maintaining multifunctional floodplains by analyzing their framing of collaboration objectives and membership structures. The case study shows that participants envisioned a shared governance structure, while no consensus was attained on the underlying collaborative objectives. Moreover, the envisioned structure revealed a tendency towards separation instead of integration, because participants abandoned the idea of public-private collaboration, which had previously been adopted in the planning and implementation phases.

Towards multi-objective optimization of large-scale fluvial landscaping measures

“…We simplified and summarized the stakeholders' preferences for specific measures based on their organizational objectives and responsibilities (Table 1) in order to derive a manageable set of scenarios for landscaping measures ( Table 3). The stakeholders' preferences (Table 4) were based on Table 1, literature (Fliervoet and van den Born, 2017;Fliervoet et al, 2013), and expert judgement. The directorate for Public Works and Water Management (PWWM) is the largest landowner (Table 1).…”

“…Finally, the province foundations ("Geldersch and Brabants Landschap") are aiming at the conservation of nature and cultural heritage, such as braid hedges (woven growing hedges used as parcel delineation) or fortresses in the floodplains. These foundations perceive minor embankment lowering and floodplain lowering negatively and roughness smoothing positively where a "park-like" landscape is concerned (Fliervoet et al, 2013).…”

Low-hanging fruits in large-scale fluvial landscaping measures: trade-offs between flood hazard, costs, stakeholders and biodiversity

“…Governmental responsibilities are divided over four levels, i.e. national, provincial, regional (water boards) and local (municipalities) (Fliervoet and van den Born, 2017;Jong and Brink, 2017). The two largest land owners are 25 Public Works and Water Management (PWWM, Rijkswaterstaat in Dutch), which owns 2889 ha, mostly consisting of the main channel and groyne fields, and the State Forestry Service (SFS, Staatsbosbeheer in Dutch), which owns 2813 ha that are mostly situated in the floodplains (Table 1).…”

“…We simplified and summarized the stakeholders' preferences for specific measures based on their organizational objectives and responsibilities (Table 1) in order to derive a manageable set of scenarios for landscaping measures (Table 4). The stakeholders' preferences (Table 5) were based on table 1, literature (Fliervoet and van den Born, 2017;Fliervoet et al, 2013) and expert judgement.…”

Government facilitation of external initiatives: how Dutch water authorities cope with value dilemmas

“…As in all sectors of public administration, the water sector has shifted from hierarchical and highly institutionalized forms of government rule towards a more collaborative approach (Fliervoet & Van den Born, 2016;Pierre & Peters, 2000;Termeer, Dewulf, & van Lieshout, 2010). Water authorities increasingly collaborate with individual water users, communities, private actors and non-profit organizations to reach their policy goals (Pahl-Wostl, 2007;Watson, 2015).…”