Water Governance Process Assessment : Evaluating the Link between Decision Making Processes and Outcomes in the Columbia River Basin

• Main Author: Ogren, Kimberly
• Other Authors: Wolf, Aaron, Campana, Michael, Cosens, Barbara, Walker, Gregg, Olsen, Christine, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University. Graduate School
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: Oregon State University
• Subjects: Water-supply > Columbia River Watershed > Decision making; Columbia River Watershed > Water rights; Natural resources > Co-management > Columbia River Watershed; Water-supply > Columbia River Watershed > Management; Water-supply > Government policy > Columbia River Watershed; Indians of North America > Columbia River Watershed > Water rights; Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/bk128f02h

Academics and practitioners agree that in water governance, the quality of a decision making process should influence the quality of the outcome and the degree to which it is accepted by interested parties. However, finding a feasible way to evaluate and then improve the quality of a decision making process has proven elusive. Systematically collecting evidence of a link between process and outcome is also challenging. In my dissertation, I developed a synthesis framework for evaluating and improving water governance decision making to address these two challenges. The synthesis framework, which I call the Water Governance Process Assessment (Water GPA), draws upon 22 existing frameworks rooted in resilience, adaptive governance, and good governance. From these frameworks, I identified and provided a way to evaluate four characteristics critical to good water governance decision making processes: 1) accountability, 2) inclusivity, and 3) information, and 4) context. I applied the Water GPA framework to the recent reviews of the Columbia River Treaty by the United States and Canada. I collected data for the case studies through semi-structured interviews and surveys of process participants from the federal agencies, Tribal and First Nations, state/provincial governments, local governments, stakeholder interests, and citizens. I coded and analyzed the interviews using the qualitative analysis software QSR NVivo and the characteristics identified in the Water GPA framework. I used the two case study applications to demonstrate how to use the framework. I identified what aspects of the four process categories served as barriers and building blocks for good water governance in each water governance process. I also gleaned lessons learned and recommendations including some for determining process leadership, ensuring meaningful engagement and inclusivity, addressing sovereignty issues, setting decision criteria, sharing decision authority, allocating resources in future processes in the US and BC portions of the ...