Groundwater Model Simulations of Stakeholder-Identified Scenarios in a High-Conflict Irrigated Area.

This study investigated collaborative groundwater-flow modeling and scenario analysis in the Little Plover River basin, Wisconsin, USA where an unconfined aquifer supplies groundwater for agricultural irrigation, industrial processing, municipal water supply, and stream baseflow. We recruited stakeholders with diverse interests to identify, prioritize, and evaluate scenarios defined as management changes to the landscape. Using a groundwater flow model, we simulated the top 10 stakeholder-ranked scenarios under historically informed dry, average, and wet weather conditions and evaluated the ability of scenarios to meet government-defined stream flow performance measures. Results show that multiple changes to the landscape are necessary to maintain optimum stream flow, particularly during dry years. Yet, when landscape changes from three scenarios-transferring water from the local waste water treatment plant to basin headwaters, moving municipal wells further from the river and downstream, and converting 240 acre (97 ha) of irrigated land to unirrigated land-were simulated in combination, the probability of meeting or exceeding optimum flows rose to 75, 65, and 34% at upper, mid, and lower stream gages, respectively, in dry climate conditions. Discussions with stakeholders reveal that the collaborative model and scenario analysis process resulted in social learning that built upon the existing complex and dynamic institutional landscape. The approach provided a forum for solution-based discussions, and the model served as an important mediation tool for the development and evaluation of community-defined scenarios in a high conflict environment. Today, stakeholders continue to work collaboratively to overcome challenges and implement voluntary solutions in the basin.

Characterizing the Breadth and Depth of Volunteer Water Monitoring Programs in the United States.

A survey of 345 volunteer water monitoring programs in the United States was conducted to document their characteristics, and perceived level of support for data to inform natural resource management or policy decisions. The response rate of 86% provided information from 46 states. Programs represented a range of ages, budgets, objectives, scopes, and level of quality assurance, which influenced data uses and perceived support by sponsoring agency administrators and external decision makers. Most programs focused on rivers, streams, and lakes. Programs had not made substantial progress to develop EPA or state-approved quality assurance plans since 1998, with only 48% reporting such plans. Program coordinators reported feeling slightly more support for data to be used for management as compared to policy decisions. Programs with smaller budgets may be at particular risk of being perceived to lack credibility due to failure to develop quality assurance plans. Over half of programs identified as collaborative, in that volunteers assisted scientists in program design, data analysis and/or dissemination of results. Just under a third were contributory, in which volunteers primarily collected data in a scientist-defined program. Recommendations to improve perceived data credibility, and to augment limited budgets include developing quality assurance plans and gaining agency approval, and developing partnerships with other organizations conducting monitoring in the area to share resources and knowledge. Funding agencies should support development of quality assurance plans to help ensure data credibility. Service providers can aid in plan development by providing training to program staff over time to address high staff turnover rates.

Improving voluntary environmental management programs: facilitating learning and adaptation.

Environmental planners and managers face unique challenges understanding and documenting the effectiveness of programs that rely on voluntary actions by private landowners. Programs, such as those aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution or improving habitat, intend to reach those goals by persuading landowners to adopt behaviors and management practices consistent with environmental restoration and protection. Our purpose with this paper is to identify barriers for improving voluntary environmental management programs and ways to overcome them. We first draw upon insights regarding data, learning, and adaptation from the adaptive management and performance management literatures, describing three key issues: overcoming information constraints, structural limitations, and organizational culture. Although these lessons are applicable to a variety of voluntary environmental management programs, we then present the issues in the context of on-going research for nonpoint source water quality pollution. We end the discussion by highlighting important elements for advancing voluntary program efforts.

Catalyzing collaboration: Wisconsin's agency-initiated basin partnerships.

Experience with collaborative approaches to natural resource and environmental management has grown substantially over the past 20 years, and multi-interest, shared-resources initiatives have become prevalent in the United States and internationally. Although often viewed as "grass-roots" and locally initiated, governmental participants are crucial to the success of collaborative efforts, and important questions remain regarding their appropriate roles, including roles in partnership initiation. In the midst of growing governmental support for collaborative approaches in the mid-1990s, the primary natural resource and environmental management agency in Wisconsin (USA) attempted to generate a statewide system of self-sustaining, collaborative partnerships, organized around the state's river basin boundaries. The agency expected the partnerships to enhance participation by stakeholders, leverage additional resources, and help move the agency toward more integrated and ecosystem-based resource management initiatives. Most of the basin partnerships did form and function, but ten years after this initiative, the agency has moved away from these partnerships and half have disbanded. Those that remain active have changed, but continue to work closely with agency staff. Those no longer functioning lacked clear focus, were dependent upon agency leadership, or could not overcome issues of scale. This article outlines the context for state support of collaborative initiatives and explores Wisconsin's experience with basin partnerships by discussing their formation and reviewing governmental roles in partnerships' emergence and change. Wisconsin's experience suggests benefits from agency support and agency responsiveness to partnership opportunities, but cautions about expectations for initiating general-purpose partnerships.