Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 317–329, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-317-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. An alternative approach for socio-hydrology: case study research Erik Mostert Department Water Management, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, the Netherlands Correspondence: Erik Mostert (
[email protected]) Received: 19 May 2017 – Discussion started: 19 June 2017 Revised: 6 October 2017 – Accepted: 23 November 2017 – Published: 15 January 2018 Abstract. Currently the most popular approach in socio hy- large interdisciplinary research project to study the topogra- drology is to develop coupled human–water models. This ar- phy and geology of the basin and the formation of peat soils ticle proposes an alternative approach, qualitative case study since 6000 BC; the human interventions in the Neolithic, Ro- research, involving a systematic review of (1) the human man, and Medieval period; the 17th century drainage works activities affecting the hydrology in the case, (2) the main and the resulting peat shrinkage and wastage; the subse- human actors, and (3) the main factors influencing the ac- quent works to cope with increasing flooding problems; the tors and their activities. Moreover, this article presents a case changing governance structure to make these works possible; study of the Dommel Basin in Belgium and the Netherlands, the changing economy of the basin; and the role of politics and compares this with a coupled model of the Kissimmee and agricultural lobbies (e.g. Godwin, 1978; Richardson et Basin in Florida. In both basins a “pendulum swing” from al., 1978; Darby, 1983; Hall and Coles, 1994; Sheail, 2002; water resources development and control to protection and Purseglove, 2015; Mostert, 2017a).