Assessing Outputs, Outcomes, and Barriers in Collaborative Water Governance: A Case Study

Abstract

AbstractAs freshwater supplies become increasingly threatened by overuse, pollution, and changes in climate, governing bodies have begun to recognize the urgent need for flexible, sustainable solutions to water use and management. Collaborative governance of water resources has arisen as a widespread strategy to develop such solutions in a way that integrates diverse stakeholder needs and works to create consensus‐driven management actions. Directly linking the outputs of collaborative processes to improved water sustainability is difficult even on a local scale. However, examining diverse collaborative governance processes, particularly the outputs and outcomes produced and barriers faced, is necessary as these processes continue to flourish at a multitude of scales and settings. In 2005, the state of Colorado initiated a collaborative governance process to assess its existing water resources and future water needs; the information gathered through this endeavor is now being used to inform the creation of Colorado's first statewide water plan. Using data from 28 in‐depth interviews with key participants in this process, this paper highlights not only what outputs and outcomes may be produced through a high‐stakes collaborative process, but also what barriers exist to producing desired outputs (and therefore, consequent outcomes). Gaining a better understanding of outputs, outcomes, and barriers within a statewide collaborative water governance process can provide insight into improving future decision‐making processes and evaluations of those processes in a variety of natural resource arenas.