Assessing framing of uncertainties in water management practice

The importance of problem framing in relation with environmental problems has been stated in various scientific contributions. In this paper we intend to relate it to the issue of uncertainties in water management. Dealing with uncertainties in water management is an important issue and will increase to be so in light of global changes, in particular climate change. To know how uncertainties are framed in water management practice then is important in order to evaluate strategies for dealing with these uncertainties. With the aim of identifying what are important parameters for the framing of uncertainties in water management practice, in this paper we analyze uncertainty situations described by decision-makers in water management. The analysis builds on a series of ¿Uncertainty Dialogues¿ carried out within the NeWater project with water managers in the Rhine, Elbe and Guadiana basins in 2006. During these dialogues, representatives of these river basins were asked what uncertainties they en2 N. Isendahl, A. Dewulf, M. Brugnach, G. François, S. Möllenkamp, C. Pahl-Wostl countered in their professional work life and how they confronted them. Analysing these dialogues we identified several important parameters of how uncertainties get framed. Our assumption is that making framing of uncertainty explicit will allow for better dealing with the respective uncertainty situations. In order to get a broader picture of the framing of an uncertainty we therefore suggest to add a third axis to the uncertainty matrix developed earlier by Brugnach et al. (2007) detailing on the relation of actors towards an uncertainty situation. This axis is assembled from the parameters identified in this paper

Recurrent governance challenges in the implementation and alignment of flood risk management strategies: a review

In Europe increasing flood risks challenge societies to diversify their Flood Risk Management Strategies (FRMSs). Such a diversification implies that actors not only focus on flood defence, but also and simultaneously on flood risk prevention, mitigation, preparation and recovery. There is much literature on the implementation of specific strategies and measures as well as on flood risk governance more generally. What is lacking, though, is a clear overview of the complex set of governance challenges which may result from a diversification and alignment of FRM strategies. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap. It elaborates on potential processes and mechanisms for coordinating the activities and capacities of actors that are involved on different levels and in different sectors of flood risk governance, both concerning the implementation of individual strategies and the coordination of the overall set of strategies. It identifies eight overall coordination mechanisms that have proven to be useful in this respect