‘Of course we’re not going to reach the Water Framework Directive objectives’ An historical and political-ecological analysis of the water quality of the Langeraarse Plassen and water quality management by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland MSc Thesis by Jessica van Grootveld May 2016 Water Resources Management group 0 Source cover photograph: Cultuur Historische Vereniging Ter Aar ‘Of course we’re not going to reach the Water Framework Directive objectives’ An historical and political-ecological analysis of the water quality of the Langeraarse Plassen and water quality management by the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland Master thesis Water Resources Management submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Science in International Land and Water Management at Wageningen University, the Netherlands Jessica van Grootveld May 2016 Supervisors: Bert Bruins, MSc Water Resources Management group Wageningen University The Netherlands www.wageningenur.nl/wrm Koen Mathot, MSc Policy and Plan Development Department Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland Leiden The Netherlands www.rijnland.net i ii Abstract All EU member states should meet the Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives by 2027. The Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland (HHR), a Dutch Water Board, has decided to invest in the Langeraarse Plassen during WFD’s second cycle (2016-2021), in its effort to comply with the WFD and to improve water quality. On-going discussions regarding the implementation of the WFD in general, and the feasibility of cleaning up fen lakes in particular are frequent. This dissertation investigates the extent to which the historical water quality of the Langeraarse Plassen parallels the nationally formulated WFD reference condition for moderately large, shallow fen lakes (M27 water bodies), and HHR’s WFD policy objectives. Additionally, this study sheds light on the WFD II policy process within the HHR and thereby contributes to the discussion about whether the Netherlands will meet the WFD by 2027 or not. Political ecology, historical ecology, water quality, and policy as a process have framed the analysis. Various historical sources were consulted and sixteen oral-history interviews were conducted, in order to describe the socio-environmental history of the Lakes. A qualitative approach - including thirteen interviews, observations throughout a period of eight-months, and policy document analysis - was employed to unravel HHR’s WFD II policy process, with specific reference to the Langeraarse Plassen. Results show that the Langeraarse Plassen have not matched either the M27 reference condition or HHR’s WFD goals since the beginning of the 20th century. Policy analysis has revealed that the traditional, apolitical, linear way in which the HHR envisages policy, does not represent the more chaotic and contested reality, and that the actors of the HHR are operating in a very complex environment. This study further indicates that it is unlikely that the Netherlands will obtain the WFD goals by 2027, especially as ecological water management is still trapped in an underdog position. Key words: Water Framework Directive; Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland; Langeraarse Plassen; fen lakes; political ecology; historical ecology; water quality; policy as a process iii Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ vi List of Text Boxes ..................................................................................................................................... vi Glossary and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. ix 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Background ...................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 The European Water Framework Directive ............................................................................. 4 2.2 Water Management in the Netherlands ................................................................................. 7 2.3 The Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland ................................................................................... 9 2.4 The Langeraarse Plassen ....................................................................................................... 12 2.5 WFD objectives for the Langeraarse Plassen ........................................................................ 13 3. Conceptual framework .................................................................................................................. 16 3.1 Political Ecology ..................................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Analysing the historical water quality situation in order to assess the appropriateness of the M27 reference condition for the Langeraarse Plassen ..................................................................... 17 3.3 Analysing the WFD policy process inside an implementation agency: the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland .................................................................................................... 20 4. Focus of the study ......................................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Research objectives ............................................................................................................... 25 4.2 Research questions ............................................................................................................... 25 5. Research methodology .................................................................................................................. 26 5.1 Qualitative research .............................................................................................................. 26 5.2 Study design .......................................................................................................................... 26 5.3 Research methods ................................................................................................................. 26 5.4 Data analysis .......................................................................................................................... 28 5.5 Discussion of methodology ................................................................................................... 29 6. Historical water quality situation of the Langeraarse Plassen ...................................................... 30 6.1 From land to water ................................................................................................................ 30 6.2 The pre-industrial phase: 1850-1945 .................................................................................... 31 6.3 The industrial phase: 1945-1970 ........................................................................................... 36 6.4 The post-industrial phase: 1970 onwards ............................................................................. 45 6.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 50 7. Unravelling the WFD policy process at the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland ........................... 52 7.1 The political and organisational structure of the HHR .......................................................... 52 7.2 Reconstructing the WFD II policy steps of the HHR .............................................................. 55 iv 7.3 Deconstructing the policy process ........................................................................................ 59 7.4 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 73 8. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 74 9. Discussion & Recommendations ................................................................................................... 76 9.1 Reflection on used theories & concepts ............................................................................... 76 9.2 Discussion of results .............................................................................................................. 76 9.3 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 78 Annexes ................................................................................................................................................. 80 Annex A: Overview of conducted interviews .................................................................................... 80 Annex B: Management areas of the Hoogheemraden .....................................................................