Systemic coordination and the problem of seasonal harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie

Abstract

The management of natural resources may potentially be improved when governance structures in social-ecological systems enable coordination among multiple actors who may operate on the same or different geographic and/or governmental scales. In this article, we analyze the network of formal coordination ties that link governmental and nongovernmental actors in the Maumee River watershed, which is the largest source of phosphorus loading into Lake Erie, one of the five Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. Since the 1990s, Lake Erie has seen a return of the seasonal harmful algal blooms (HAB) that were common in the 1960s and 1970s, and considerable research suggests that they might be triggered by excessive amounts of phosphorus produced by agriculture. Analyzing an assortment of documents that collectively detail how stakeholders relate to each other on the topic of nutrient management in the watershed, we examine who are the actors that are more likely to fulfill coordination roles, and the scales at which coordination takes place (vertically vs horizontally). Results suggest that coordination has been formalized vertically, with actors who operate at higher governmental levels being more likely to coordinate the activities of actors at lower levels. In addition, we see evidence of horizontal coordination but only in the confines of the individual state jurisdictions that share the watershed. We see this as a potentially important obstacle to solving the HABs problem in Lake Erie, given that the management of interjurisdictional watersheds is likely to be ineffective in the absence of proper coordination across the different jurisdictions that share the watershed.

Value of Information and Decision Pathways: Concepts and Case Studies

“…Various constituencies may not feel a need to take responsibility for the deteriorating situation (VE7). The behavior of these diverse groups suggests that water quality information and expert knowledge have little to no value at that moment in time (Berardo et al, 2019).…”

Collaboration and conflict in complex water governance systems across a development gradient: addressing common challenges and solutions

“…This kind of social-ecological "misfit" is a common challenge in transboundary and multilevel resource management settings. Berardo et al (2019) also used social network analysis to provide insight into the structures of collaboration among actors in multilevel water governance arrangements. The authors investigated the network of formal coordination among public and private actors for managing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Maumee River watershed in the United States.…”

“…In contrast, in Ben Tre the traditionally hierarchical political structures of socialist states are still very much in use. Berardo et al (2019) similarly discussed the importance of horizontal coordination among actors within, and across, state jurisdictions in the U.S. Although the authors find evidence of horizontal coordination, this particular type of collaboration occurs primarily within individual state jurisdictions.…”

“…The fundamental role water resources play in supporting human societal development and ecosystem health all but ensures management dilemmas will span multiple policy issues and often multiple policy domains. Berardo et al (2019) investigated the challenges posed by diffuse administrative responsibilities for addressing nonpoint source pollution. The increase in seasonal harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie, an important source of public drinking water supply, is in part driven by the use of nutrient-laden fertilizers within the largely agricultural Maumee River watershed.…”

“…Two articles in the special issue discuss this topic. Berardo et al (2019) assessed who the key coordinators are in managing nutrient pollution in the Maumee River watershed and the extent to which "coordination fit" exists, as https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol24/iss3/art28/ this is a central concern in multiscale and boundary-spanning governance settings. Dupuits (2019) provided an in-depth analysis of a network of social movements in Latin America and identified cases of both elite capture and citizen leadership, which illustrates how leadership can acquire different meanings in practice.…”