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Stakeholder engagement and collaborative governance have become increasingly important in the field of river basin management. Modern basin management strategies tend to take an adaptive or integrative management approach, which call for broad stakeholder inclusion to account for the increasing uncertainty and competing demands placed on water resources. This dissertation examines several key aspects of stakeholder participation: public awareness and value of participation in management, opportunities and barriers to participation, and the effect of public participation on watershed management outcomes. A major goal of this project is to identify factors that enhance managers’ ability to include effective stakeholder participation in the water governance process. While opportunities for participation are increasingly mandated as part of environmental management practices, the quality of that participation is often called into question. In the first of three papers comprising this dissertation, I conducted an interdisciplinary study assessing risk perception and actual health risks from exposure to metals in fish from the Tisza River Basin of central Europe. Mining in the region has chronically introduced metals; however, two major mine-tailings spill in 2000 contributed an estimated 240,000 m3 of wastewater and tailings contaminated with cyanide and metals to the system. In 2013 and 2014, water and fish (N=99) collected from the lower Tisza River Basin were analyzed for cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. Concurrently, surveys (N=45) collected near sampling sites assessed fish consumption patterns and risk perception. Metals in water exceeded regulatory criteria at multiple sites, however metals are not bioaccumulating to a concerning degree in fish as bioaccumulation factors were below 1. Fillets were within European Food Safety Authority recommendations; however, the Target Hazard Quotient for lead was elevated at 1.5 for average consumers and 3.5 for people who consume fish twice weekly. The majority of survey participants were unconcerned with local fish consumption (87%), citing the “clean” appearance of fishing locations. Participants also reported relatively low fish consumption, with most (76%) eating basin fish once a week or less. While our study indicates fish are generally safe for human consumption, waters are polluted, suggesting that local fishing populations may be at risk from unseen pollutants and highlighting the need for monitoring and notification systems. Broadening the analysis of local stakeholders and stakeholder perception to the basin level, the second paper for this dissertation examined public perception and public participation in Tisza River Basin management. The complexity associated with achieving sustainable river basin management plans for international, transboundary river basins, such as the Tisza River Basin in central Europe, make them an ideal study area for examining the influence of education and experience on stakeholder perception of basin management. This study presents findings from analysis of in-person surveys to examine differences in local stakeholder perceptions of the Tisza River Basin across employment and education sectors through analysis of participants’ levels of knowledge, experience, and involvement in basin management. The survey was conducted among members of the public in locations across the basin, in which participants were asked to identify and rank their opinions of factors affecting the health of the river basin, to identify observed changes in flood patterns, and to rank their level of interest and participation in basin management activities. To evaluate whether experience affected responses, participants were grouped according to whether they worked in the public or private sector, and by their level of education (no college, undergraduate, or graduate school). Significant differences in stakeholder responses were found between education levels attained among participants in the public versus the private sector, and between the reported levels of environmental concern among participants of different education levels. Participants also reported low levels of participation and monitoring of management activities. These differences and lack of participation highlight the need for public education in participatory governance structures to support sustainable river basin management efforts. The Upper Mississippi River Basin is similar to the Tisza River Basin in its transboundary nature and the predominance of agriculture in the region. The Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) is a largely rural watershed (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri) that is heavily managed for agriculture and agricultural exports. This has led to water quality impairments both within the Upper Mississippi River Basin and contributed significantly to the large hypoxic zone of the Gulf of Mexico. Management responses have led to the formation of collaborative responses across stakeholder groups, including states, agencies, industry, non-government organizations, and the public. In the third paper of this dissertation, I shifted my focus from the public to another set of local stakeholders, environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs), and their influence on river basin management. ENGOs are recognized as serving as implementers, catalysts, and partners with government agencies in the management process. To assess the participatory role of ENGOs in watershed management in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, expert interviews were conducted with members actively engaged in watershed-related activities. Participants were asked to identify their key areas of

The thesis focuses on the environmental sustainability ofwater projects. The concept is analysed from the theoreticaland the implementation viewpoints The evolution of the conceptof sustainable development is presented, with an in-depthdiscussion on the present status of the environmentalsustainability of water projects. Several case studies areanalysed on different important aspects of environmentalsustainability. These case studies include the analysis ofissues like the role of institutions, effectiveness of legalframeworks, participation of stakeholders, contributions ofwater development projects to regional development,consideration of environmental and social issues, and impactsof social and environmental movements. The impacts of the Ataturk dam, within the SoutheasternAnatolia (GAP) Project, Turkey, are analysed in terms ofplanning, policy making, institutional arrangements,infrastructural development, and human resources development.Its economic, social and environmental impacts during theconstruction phase and the first seven years of operation arereviewed. The role of large dams in poverty alleviation andsocio-economic development are analysed, especially in terms ofresettlement. The current global thinking on involuntaryresettlement is reviewed, as are the experiences onresettlement of the people affected by water projects. Anassessment of the participatory process that was formulated forthe resettlement of the people affected by the construction ofthe Birecik dam, GAP Project, Turkey, is presented. Institutional arrangements for integrated river basinmanagement in Latin America is analysed, with special emphasison the Brazilian and the Mexican experiences of watermanagement at the river basin level. Brazil and Mexico werechosen since they are by far the most advanced in this area,compared to all the other Latin American countries. It is concluded that economic, social and environmentaldimensions should be considered concurrently within the goalsof water development. Social considerations are essentialbecause poverty is both a cause and an effect of environmentaldegradation, and societies festering with poverty and socialtensions will not have the means, or inclination, to makesustainable development a priority issue. There are noblueprints for a transition to sustainability, but there arepolicy reforms that could reduce environmental degradation,income disparity and persistent poverty. The water sector isnot an exception to this conclusion. There is now considerable discussion on the operationalfeasibility of the sustainable development concept. It issuggested that sustainable development should be considered tobe a journey and not a destination. The world is nothomogeneous, and thus there cannot be one unique path tosustainable development that would be equally valid andapplicable for all countries of the world, and for alldevelopment sectors. Each country will have to base its waterdevelopment agendas depending on their own social, economic,cultural and environmental conditions, available managerial,technical and administrative capacities and societalexpectations and aspirations. For developing countries, as longas water development policies, programmes and projects cancontribute to socio-economic development, reduction in povertyand income disparity, and environmental conservation, they arewell on course in their long journey to sustainabledevelopment. Definitional debates as to what constitutessustainable water development are likely to beunproductive.

<p>The thesis focuses on the environmental sustainability ofwater projects. The concept is analysed from the theoreticaland the implementation viewpoints The evolution of the conceptof sustainable development is presented, with an in-depthdiscussion on the present status of the environmentalsustainability of water projects. Several case studies areanalysed on different important aspects of environmentalsustainability. These case studies include the analysis ofissues like the role of institutions, effectiveness of legalframeworks, participation of stakeholders, contributions ofwater development projects to regional development,consideration of environmental and social issues, and impactsof social and environmental movements.</p><p>The impacts of the Ataturk dam, within the SoutheasternAnatolia (GAP) Project, Turkey, are analysed in terms ofplanning, policy making, institutional arrangements,infrastructural development, and human resources development.Its economic, social and environmental impacts during theconstruction phase and the first seven years of operation arereviewed.</p><p>The role of large dams in poverty alleviation andsocio-economic development are analysed, especially in terms ofresettlement. The current global thinking on involuntaryresettlement is reviewed, as are the experiences onresettlement of the people affected by water projects. Anassessment of the participatory process that was formulated forthe resettlement of the people affected by the construction ofthe Birecik dam, GAP Project, Turkey, is presented.</p><p>Institutional arrangements for integrated river basinmanagement in Latin America is analysed, with special emphasison the Brazilian and the Mexican experiences of watermanagement at the river basin level. Brazil and Mexico werechosen since they are by far the most advanced in this area,compared to all the other Latin American countries.</p><p>It is concluded that economic, social and environmentaldimensions should be considered concurrently within the goalsof water development. Social considerations are essentialbecause poverty is both a cause and an effect of environmentaldegradation, and societies festering with poverty and socialtensions will not have the means, or inclination, to makesustainable development a priority issue. There are noblueprints for a transition to sustainability, but there arepolicy reforms that could reduce environmental degradation,income disparity and persistent poverty. The water sector isnot an exception to this conclusion.</p><p>There is now considerable discussion on the operationalfeasibility of the sustainable development concept. It issuggested that sustainable development should be considered tobe a journey and not a destination. The world is nothomogeneous, and thus there cannot be one unique path tosustainable development that would be equally valid andapplicable for all countries of the world, and for alldevelopment sectors. Each country will have to base its waterdevelopment agendas depending on their own social, economic,cultural and environmental conditions, available managerial,technical and administrative capacities and societalexpectations and aspirations. For developing countries, as longas water development policies, programmes and projects cancontribute to socio-economic development, reduction in povertyand income disparity, and environmental conservation, they arewell on course in their long journey to sustainabledevelopment. Definitional debates as to what constitutessustainable water development are likely to beunproductive.</p>

Many studies have investigated Nigeria’s experiences of river basin management. Despite the acceptance of IWRM by the Nigerian Government, findings from the literature demonstrate that there remain significant water management challenges in Nigeria. However, reported research which exposes the forces influencing the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Nigeria remains sparse. This thesis exposes these forces, and most importantly, the environments within which they are embedded by drawing upon theoretical and empirical evidence on the processes required to transfer IWRM from theory to practice. The retroductive logic of enquiry was adopted as a guide and a conceptual framework was developed to illustrate the forces influencing IWRM implementation at the river basin level in Nigeria and the environments within which they are embedded. The conceptual framework formed the basis for the development of the research questions and also informed the choice of neo-institutional theory as a guide to proffer answers to the research questions. The research process employed a qualitative social science approach to provide answers to the research questions and realise the study’s main aim. The study’s theoretical framework followed a string of hermeneutics, phenomenology, and interpretivists philosophies and a case study research strategy to explore issues related to IWRM implementation in both Ogun-Oshun River Basin and Benin-Owena River Basin from different perspectives using multiple sources of evidence – documents, semi-structured interviews, and direct observations. Interviews were conducted with the staff of the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) and other water-related national and international organisations in the selected case river basins in Nigeria. The data obtained were first analysed using textual approach and then followed by variance institutional approach. Findings clearly illustrate that: (i) there were weaknesses in IWRM implementation in Nigeria, and (ii) both institutional (that is, regulative, normative, cognitive, and cultural) and technical (that is, water infrastructure) elements which are located within the macro and the operational environments were the forces that contributed to the weaknesses in IWRM implementation at the river basin level in Nigeria. Consistent with the institutional analysis perspective, to improve IWRM implementation in practice in Nigeria, the study proposed improvements to the regulative institutions to serve as a shock. This study contributes to IWRM and reinforces the importance of institutional and technical elements as potent forces that can enable or constrain the implementation of a water management approach, IWRM.

No / The case study describes large-scale environmental change related to, and recent responses associated with, growing water scarcity in the Usangu Plains, a catchment of the Great Ruaha River in south-west Tanzania. The analysis uses outputs from two recent projects to critically examine various theories of environmental change and the `fit¿ of new river basin management strategies to the problems found, arguing that various perspectives are worryingly at odds with each other. We find that the investigators of the two projects presented a reasonable and sufficient case of the causes of water scarcity. Yet despite efforts to disseminate scientific findings, different stakeholder groups did not agree with this case. This, we believe, was due to three combined factors; firstly highly entrenched views existed that were also based on quasi-scientific reasoning; secondly, the projects¿ deliberations to date, in acknowledging their own uncertainty, were not assertive enough in ascribing causation to the various processes of change; thirdly, policy-uptake was not sufficiently managed by the scientists involved. We conclude that this complexity of the science¿policy interface is a feature of integrated water resources management (IWRM) and that the norms of scientific uncertainty in the face of competing theories (held by their protagonists with greater certainty) obliges scientists to take a more active role in sensitively managing the advice-to-policy process in order to improve management of water within river basins. Thus, the paper argues, the nature of integrated water resources management is one of `action research¿ to move towards an improved understanding of change, and of `action policy-advising¿ to draw policy-makers into a cycle of considered decision-making.

Yes / This paper challenges ideas that it is possible to `get the institutions right¿ in the management of natural resources. It engages with the literature and policy specifying `design principles¿ for robust institutions and uses data from a river basin management project in Usangu, Tanzania, to illustrate the complexity of institutional evolution. The paper draws on emerging `post-institutionalist¿ perspectives to reject over-formalised managerial approaches in favour of those that accept the dynamic nature of institutional formation, and accommodate a variety of partial and contingent solutions. Data from Usangu suggests that external `crafting¿ is inevitably problematic because, to a certain extent, institutions elude design.

Intact sagebrush communities in the Great Basin are rapidly disappearing due to invasion of non-native plants, large wildfires, and encroachment of pinyon pine and juniper woodlands. Land management options include the use of prescribed fire, grazing, herbicides and mechanical treatments to reduce the potential for wildfire and restore plant communities. Land managers in the region face a complex and interrelated set of ecological, economic, and social challenges to the implementation of these management practices. Effective restoration strategies require consideration of citizens in the region and their acceptance of management practices, as well as their trust in the agencies that implement them. This longitudinal panel study (2006-2010) examines the social acceptability of management options for rangeland restoration and public trust in agencies to carry out these options in three urban and three rural regions of the Great Basin. Most similar studies in this region have been largely place-based and cross-sectional, focusing on communities at one point in time. Results from this study can be used to evaluate the success of management programs, predict support for different treatments, determine the impact of agency outreach efforts, and identify important factors for building trust between communities and agencies across the region. The study uses data from a mail-back questionnaire sent to residents in 2006 and again in 2010. Overall, 698 respondents comprise the panel of interest. Results suggest landscape scale events such as wildfire, as well as agency management and outreach programs, had little influence on respondents' perceptions of agencies or management options over the study period. Several key findings have persisted throughout the study: (1) acceptance is high for the use of prescribed fire, grazing, felling, and mowing, but low for chaining and herbicide use, though there are (2) low levels of public trust and confidence in agencies to implement these management options, and (3) there are salient differences between the region's rural and urban residents with important implications for agency communication strategies. Most changes in response over the study period were subtle, though the direction and strength of these changes highlight noteworthy trends: (1) Great Basin residents are becoming more aware of key threats facing rangelands, (2) they seem more interested in having a role in making management decisions, and (3) they are slightly more positive about their interactions with agency personnel. Finally, findings suggest many residents have had little experience with agency outreach programs. Trust and confidence in management agencies are key factors in garnering support for restoration activities. While knowledge of management activities and confidence in managers' ability to competently implement them certainly play a role, findings strongly suggest sincerity factors (e.g., good communication or the perception that agencies share citizens' goals, thoughts, or values) have the greatest influence on acceptance of management practices in the Great Basin. Results suggest it would be beneficial for agencies to take a more active role in building trust with residents across the region. Differing levels of knowledge and interest, as well as different concerns, found among rural and urban residents highlight the need to tailor outreach strategies for use in specific communities. / Graduation date: 2012

<p>The questions posed in this study address the different processes that were involved in the decision-making and establishment of the water management organisations, the extent of public participation, as well as features of evident governance in implementing the policies. A critical analysis of the role of stakeholders and the various influences they may have in water management will also be examined. The methodology follows a historical study approach. A thorough document review will be done of the policies and related materials around BMCs, where events will be constructed from the findings. Interviews will be conducted for verification purposes, to verify the desktop findings and to assimilate any conflicts of opinion that might have not been documented.</p>

<p>The questions posed in this study address the different processes that were involved in the decision-making and establishment of the water management organisations, the extent of public participation, as well as features of evident governance in implementing the policies. A critical analysis of the role of stakeholders and the various influences they may have in water management will also be examined. The methodology follows a historical study approach. A thorough document review will be done of the policies and related materials around BMCs, where events will be constructed from the findings. Interviews will be conducted for verification purposes, to verify the desktop findings and to assimilate any conflicts of opinion that might have not been documented.</p>