8.1 Introduction
This chapter focuses on the Salland region of the Netherlands and presents our
analysis regarding the role of governance context on the new irrigation policy of the
Water Authority of Groot Salland (Waterschap Groot Salland—WGS). The irrigation policy was adopted in early 2013 by the five water authorities in the eastern
Netherlands.
1 Given the drought conditions in this region, the policy is concerned
with finding a balance between the use of groundwater and surface water by farmers
and the water needs of vulnerable nature areas.
The outline of the chapter is as follows: In Sect. 8.2, an overview of the water
management system in the Netherlands is provided. Section 8.3 presents the case
study background, starting with the national policies and mechanisms that are
related to the irrigation policy, continuing with the historical and political background of the irrigation policy. Then, in Sect. 8.4, a brief description of the water
system of the Salland Region and the pilot measures that have been carried out in
the Salland Region are described. In Sect. 8.5, findings from the application of the
governance assessment tool on four qualities and five dimensions are discussed.
Finally, in Sect. 8.6, the overall conclusion and a set of recommendations regarding
the governance context of Groot Salland are presented, which can be useful for
improving drought resilience in the region.
8.2 Water Management in the Netherlands
The Dutch water system is characterized by a complicated organizational structure
that has been developed over the centuries of experience with collaborative and
participatory approaches to water management. The current water management
system involves various organizations that function at the local, regional and
national levels. The major tasks related to water management, the responsible
organizations and the financing mechanisms are summarized in Table 8.1.
The management of water resources and services is a public responsibility and
comes under the public law. Four types of governmental organizations can be
discerned regarding the management of water resources, namely central government, provinces, municipalities and water authorities. Water-related tasks that these
organizations fulfil are financed by central funds from the government or from
decentralized taxes. Additionally, (publicly owned) private companies manage the
drinking water supplies at the regional level, which often implies serving for more
than one provinces, and cover their costs under private law, while operating under
the regulatory rule of the central government.
1
These water authorities are Groot Salland, Regge en Dinkel, Velt en Vecht, Reest en Wieden and
Rijn en IJssel. In January 2014, Regge en Dinkel and Velt en Vecht merged to form the water
authority of “Vechtstromen” and in January 2016, Groot Salland and Reest en Wieden merged to
form the water authority of “Drents Overijsselse Delta”.
160
G. Özerol et al.
This chapter focuses on the Salland region of the Netherlands and presents our
analysis regarding the role of governance context on the new irrigation policy of the
Water Authority of Groot Salland (Waterschap Groot Salland—WGS). The irrigation policy was adopted in early 2013 by the five water authorities in the eastern
Netherlands.
1 Given the drought conditions in this region, the policy is concerned
with finding a balance between the use of groundwater and surface water by farmers
and the water needs of vulnerable nature areas.
The outline of the chapter is as follows: In Sect. 8.2, an overview of the water
management system in the Netherlands is provided. Section 8.3 presents the case
study background, starting with the national policies and mechanisms that are
related to the irrigation policy, continuing with the historical and political background of the irrigation policy. Then, in Sect. 8.4, a brief description of the water
system of the Salland Region and the pilot measures that have been carried out in
the Salland Region are described. In Sect. 8.5, findings from the application of the
governance assessment tool on four qualities and five dimensions are discussed.
Finally, in Sect. 8.6, the overall conclusion and a set of recommendations regarding
the governance context of Groot Salland are presented, which can be useful for
improving drought resilience in the region.
8.2 Water Management in the Netherlands
The Dutch water system is characterized by a complicated organizational structure
that has been developed over the centuries of experience with collaborative and
participatory approaches to water management. The current water management
system involves various organizations that function at the local, regional and
national levels. The major tasks related to water management, the responsible
organizations and the financing mechanisms are summarized in Table 8.1.
The management of water resources and services is a public responsibility and
comes under the public law. Four types of governmental organizations can be
discerned regarding the management of water resources, namely central government, provinces, municipalities and water authorities. Water-related tasks that these
organizations fulfil are financed by central funds from the government or from
decentralized taxes. Additionally, (publicly owned) private companies manage the
drinking water supplies at the regional level, which often implies serving for more
than one provinces, and cover their costs under private law, while operating under
the regulatory rule of the central government.
1
These water authorities are Groot Salland, Regge en Dinkel, Velt en Vecht, Reest en Wieden and
Rijn en IJssel. In January 2014, Regge en Dinkel and Velt en Vecht merged to form the water
authority of “Vechtstromen” and in January 2016, Groot Salland and Reest en Wieden merged to
form the water authority of “Drents Overijsselse Delta”.
160
G. Özerol et al.