Whose Watershed is This? A Decision Case Study of Agricultural Drainage in the Midwestern USA

Abstract

Every day, individuals make local land management decisions,involvingafewhectaresorafewsquarekilometers.These decisionsmayenhanceordegradelocalenvironments,andoften are reflected in downstream surface water quality. This case focuses on management decision making in an agricultural watershed in southern Minnesota, USA, and engages participants in making environmental decisions in the context of conflicting values. The case exemplifies a process that is occurring worldwide: people are demanding more local-scale decision making, whichoftenconflictswithbroadercommunityandsocietalgoals for integrated management. In using the case, participants are presentedwithbackgroundfromtheperspectiveofalocalfarmer whobelievedhewasmakingawisemanagementdecisiononbehalf of his family and his community. He was surprised by the presenceandstrengthofoppositionandneededtomakedifficult decisionsabouthislandandfuture.Therewasawell-understood, potentialfinancialgain;hehadtroublepredictingboththecosts (e.g., legal fees) and the probability of success. Participants are presented with the dilemma, asked to make a decision, and then to evaluate their results and process in light of decisions eventually made by the farmer.