A process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden by implementing adaptive water management case study research MSc Thesis Niña Visser March 2015 Name Donja Janinka Visser Student number 1311158 E-mail [email protected] Program Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management Degree Master of Science (MSc.) Graduation section Policy Analysis Faculty Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management University Delft University of Technology Graduation committee Professor Prof.dr.ir. W.A.H. Thissen First supervisor Dr.ir.drs. A.R.C. de Haan Second supervisor Dr. M.L.C. de Bruijne Process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden 2/67 Preface This report is the final result of my graduation that completes the master of science in Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management at the faculty of Technology, Policy and Management at Delft University of Technology. Reading guide During my master thesis project I made many analysis which resulted in illustrations. These pictures became an important part of the report. Therefore I have organised the chapters 2, 3 and 4 in such a way that the running text is on the right hand page and illustrations with short explanations can be found on the left hand page. Those readers interested in the water system and how it is organised are referred to chapter 2 for normal situations and chapter 3 for situations of temporal water scarcity. The water system is analysed from three different perspectives; Technology, Institutions and Process. Chapter 4 presents the process design. Chapter 5 and 6 provides respectively conclusion and a reflection on this project. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my graduation committee members. Alexander de Haan for guiding my graduation process. Looking back at our meetings on Mondays I am happy how many times I went home with new ideas and inspiration for improvements. Mark de Bruijne for all the feedback on my report and the brainstorming sessions about the process design. Wil Thissen for his valuable criticism during the graduation meetings. Finally I would like to thank Tineke Ruijgh – van der Ploeg for introducing me to Alexander de Haan as possible supervisor for my thesis. Special thanks to Sasha for the time to read through and correct my report and my parents for their advice. I would like to thank my family and friends for their support during this project and my entire study. Niña Visser Process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden 3/67 Process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden 4/67 Summary During normal situations there is enough fresh water available for all functions in the Netherlands. But in times of droughts fresh water supply and water safety are at risk. For these periods of water scarcity, a sequence of priority on available fresh water distribution is present. However, experts consider that even these precautions are insufficient. It is expected that due to climate change droughts will increase and become more severe. But, economic and spatial development in the Netherlands are only possible when water safety and fresh water supply are safeguarded. The impact and consequences on society of failure of water functions caused by even these temporal water shortages can be high. Water stress has negative economic, environmental and social consequences, because fresh water is an important resource for drinking water production, electricity production, agriculture, industries, recreation and fishery. The Advisory Council for Transport, Public Works and Water Management advised the Dutch government that due to climate change a more proactive way of dealing with uncertainties is necessary for the future (Raad voor Verkeer en Waterstaat, 2009, p. 53). In sum, implementing adaptive management is necessary as future developments will probably lead to a higher negative impact of water scarcity situations as more fresh water is needed for social and economic development. Especially during these situations trade-offs between water uses have to be made. Therefor the following research question will be answered: How to analyse the Dutch socio-technical water system to design for a process to improve long term adaptive management of temporary water scarcity?. By answering this research question the following design objective be reached: A process design for long term adaptive management for situations of temporary water scarcity in the Dutch socio-technological water system. Because no standard blue print for process designs exist, a case study is used to develop a process design for dealing with long term adaptive management of water scarcity situations. The case of the Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden has been selected, because of the complexity of this area. This area has been appointed by the Delta Commission as an area of special attention, because of future water challenges. Next to this there is also an institutional complexity with many different water users and water managers. For dealing with water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden it recommended to implement the process design within the current policy cycles of water management. is a total overview of the process design. The process design is a total concept consisting of a mode of thinking, method of working, instruments and process rules. For presenting the process design the structure of Bekkering et al. (2007, pp. 94, 95) is adapted. - Adaptive management - Process management - IWRM mode of thinking - outline of the process method of working - Mediated modelling workshops instruments openness Protection of core values speed substance process rules Figure: Overview of the process designed in chapter 4. Process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden 5/67 The mode of thinking of this process design is based on the following concepts: Adaptive management (Folke, Hahn, Olsson, & Norberg, 2005; Mysiak, Henrikson, Sullivan, Bromley, & Pahl-Wostl, 2010; Pahl- Wostl, 2008; Raad voor Verkeer en Waterstaat, 2009), Process management (de Bruijn & ten Heuvelhof, 2008; de Bruijn et al., 2002) and Integrated Water Resource Management (Falkenmark & Rockström, 2004; GWP, 2000; Savenije & Van der Zaag, 2008; UN-Water, 2008). Adaptive Management and Integrated Water Resource Management are widely accepted in the field of water management. Although these concepts are widely accepted, the process of implementation lacks. The suggested method of working consists of the implementation of revision points in combination with social learning within the current policy cycle of the water management. Because the current synchronisation in time between the plans is maintained, it is possible to integrate these revision points in the current policy cycle. For this process design the instrument of mediated modelling workshops of Van den Belt (2004) is suggested as method of working for the implementation of social learning in decision making processes. The mediated modelling workshops are especially suitable, because it is applied within the field of environmental consensus building. Process rules are suggested based on De Bruijn et al. (de Bruijn et al., 2002). This process is designed for long term adaptive water management for dealing with temporal water scarcity for the case of Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden. Aspects of this process design are more generally applicable for other cases of temporal resource scarcity. The set-up of this process design with the mode of thinking, method of working, instruments and process rules has given a good overview of the total concept of a process design. Therefore it is recommended to be used in designing processes. Process design for situations of temporal water scarcity in Rhine-Estuary Drechtsteden 6/67 Content Preface ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Reading guide ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................................... 3 Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Content............................................................................................................................................................................ 7 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Research problem .....................................................................................................................................10 1.2 Research approach ....................................................................................................................................11 1.2.1 Integrated Water Resource Management .....................................................................................11 1.2.2 Adaptive management .....................................................................................................................12 1.2.3 Socio-technological systems ...........................................................................................................13