Navigating Urban-Agricultural Watershed Management Conflicts: A View from Watershed Coordinators

Abstract

Water quality impairment from fertilizer runoff remains a major source of urban-agricultural conflicts when it leads to serious health risks. In this paper, we analyze the role of watershed organizations in Iowa, USA, that include both agricultural and urban stakeholders to address water quality challenges. We conducted three focus group discussions with 14 coordinators representing these watershed organizations to analyze what policy tools these organizations are using to address urban-agricultural conflicts and what outcomes have resulted from their efforts. We used qualitative coding to apply an existing set of policy tools already established in the literature. Coordinators’ responses showed that who participates in these organizations has a major impact on the level of problem solving. There were limited instances of joint urban-agricultural engagement strategies, but these were promising in changing individual’s perspectives and indicate that strategic targeting of watershed participants may be crucial to overcoming conflicts.