Sectoral versus environmental scales: implementing river continuity restoration and river basin approach in areas of production

Abstract

In the context of Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the objective of ''good ecological status'' of European water bodies, both the idea of river continuity restoration and the river basin approach call for a scalar transformation of water governance based on ecological principles. Among the WFD literature, very few have focused on industrial actors in areas of production and their role implementing or countering these principles. To observe this, it is argued that one must first grasp the sectoral scales linked to economic actors’ practices. We define sectoral scales as the scalar issues related to industries practices and then question how they have been challenged by new environmental scalar configurations. Using case study analysis, this article focus on two industries in southwestern France in the Adour-Garonne hydrographic District, namely hydropower and irrigated agriculture. The results highlight that implementing river continuity restoration and river basin approach challenge the economic and political practices of these industries related to the spatial scope of their production process and their political jurisdiction. In the face of change, industrial actors defend “functional” perimeters for their activities by rescaling water governance in order to keep control over water resources and maintain the institutional arrangements they have forged within those boundaries. In conclusion, we suggest that research on changes of scales relating to water governance should further question economic actors and how their practices are ultimately entangled in specific scales. Only in so doing can we understand deep-rooted obstacles to the implementation of the WFD in areas of production and better grasp social and ecological interdependencies at stake.