Abstract
Stakeholder participation is a foundation of good water governance. Good groundwater governance typically involves the co-production of knowledge about the groundwater system. Models provide a vehicle for producing this knowledge, as well as a “boundary object” around which scientists and stakeholders can convene the co-production process. Through co-production, stakeholders and scientific experts can engage in exchanges that create system knowledge not otherwise achievable. The process involves one-way transfer of information, active two-way conversations, and integration of multiple kinds of knowledge into shared understanding. In the Upper Santa Cruz River basin in Arizona, USA, the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) convened a project aimed at providing scientific underpinnings for groundwater planning and management. This project, entitled Groundwater, Climate, and Stakeholder Engagement, serves as a case study employing the first two stages of knowledge co-production using a hydrological model. Through an iterative process that included two-way communication, stakeholders provided critical input to hydrologic modeling analyses. Acting as a bridging organization, the WRRC facilitated a co-production process, involving location-specific and transferability workshops, which resulted in new knowledge and capacity for applying the model to novel problems.
Highlights
Stakeholder participation is a foundational principle of good water governance [1]
This paper examines stakeholder engagement with an innovative modeling framework for the purpose of co-producing knowledge relevant to groundwater management
The GCASE case study provides one example of how knowledge co-production can be achieved through use of a hydrological model when two-way interactions are focused on development of usable science
Summary
Stakeholder participation is a foundational principle of good water governance [1]. Groundwater governance has varied definitions, but in general it refers to the overarching framework, usually spanning multiple jurisdictional levels, of laws, regulations, and customs for groundwater management [2]. Especially where potential outcomes are likely to produce winners and losers In these instances, developing a shared understanding of the issue context may be insufficient to resolve differences, and the benefits of stakeholder engagement will be more difficult to realize [13]. In an assessment of conditions for successful joint knowledge production, Hegger et al proposed in successful co-production, relevant resources are available to support the process These may include so called “boundary objects”, such as models, that lie at the cultural boundary between scientists and stakeholders and provide a focus for exchange [18]. Revealing the workings of the model builds confidence in the model as a platform for objectively answering stakeholder relevant questions Another element with a positive effect on knowledge co-production is the intervention of an individual or organization that carries out the functions of facilitating communication among the various parties. Bridging organizations have been widely cited as promoting learning [37]
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