The management of expectations might be equally important. As long as the
abundance of water in North-west Europe is taken for granted by water users, the
implicit responsibility to protect the water supply is placed by the users on the water
authorities. Although water supply should remain a public task, it does not follow
that the water authorities and taxpayers’ money should accommodate increased
vulnerability for shortages or new economic activity requiring extra fresh water or
water of a specific quality. Some investments might not be wise in areas prone to
drought. Openly discussing the limits of public responsibility might increase the
awareness and ownership of preparatory measures of such water users.
13.4.3 The Need for an Increased Integration of Flood
and Drought Management
In our project, the UK Somerset case is a clear example of a situation in which, after
several years of droughts, the large 2013–2014 flood disturbed the balance between
drought and flood measures and proved that both are sides of the same climate
change adaptation coin. It is essential to consider surplus water events when taking
drought resilience measures, and vice versa. Recognizing the need to address the
impact of floods, while acknowledging that there is also a very real threat of water
scarcity in North-west Europe, changes the range of strategies and instruments that
could be used to effectively mitigate variability and extremes. This more closely
aligned approach of different forms of water management draws together a range of
lessons for more the effective governance of climate change adaptation across the
whole of North-west Europe. We need strategic governance approaches that are
focused on adaptation and resilience of the entire water system rather than on crisis
management of extreme events.
13.4.4 Variety Requires Tailored Action
Each of our six regional reports contains specific background information, analyses
of governance conditions, and some recommendations on how to deal with the
regional water governance situation from a drought perspective. The recommendations are partially based on a comparison of the specific region’s context with the
Governance Assessment Team members’ knowledge of other water management
systems, including a comparative analysis of the other five regions studied in
DROP.
In the six regions studied, there are wide varieties of drought measures implemented—involving inter alia and drought prediction models as well as building
infrastructure for improved water level management, natural water retention measures, and farmer-targeted assistance to improve irrigation practices. This variety
13 Towards a Drought Policy in North-West European Regions?
255
abundance of water in North-west Europe is taken for granted by water users, the
implicit responsibility to protect the water supply is placed by the users on the water
authorities. Although water supply should remain a public task, it does not follow
that the water authorities and taxpayers’ money should accommodate increased
vulnerability for shortages or new economic activity requiring extra fresh water or
water of a specific quality. Some investments might not be wise in areas prone to
drought. Openly discussing the limits of public responsibility might increase the
awareness and ownership of preparatory measures of such water users.
13.4.3 The Need for an Increased Integration of Flood
and Drought Management
In our project, the UK Somerset case is a clear example of a situation in which, after
several years of droughts, the large 2013–2014 flood disturbed the balance between
drought and flood measures and proved that both are sides of the same climate
change adaptation coin. It is essential to consider surplus water events when taking
drought resilience measures, and vice versa. Recognizing the need to address the
impact of floods, while acknowledging that there is also a very real threat of water
scarcity in North-west Europe, changes the range of strategies and instruments that
could be used to effectively mitigate variability and extremes. This more closely
aligned approach of different forms of water management draws together a range of
lessons for more the effective governance of climate change adaptation across the
whole of North-west Europe. We need strategic governance approaches that are
focused on adaptation and resilience of the entire water system rather than on crisis
management of extreme events.
13.4.4 Variety Requires Tailored Action
Each of our six regional reports contains specific background information, analyses
of governance conditions, and some recommendations on how to deal with the
regional water governance situation from a drought perspective. The recommendations are partially based on a comparison of the specific region’s context with the
Governance Assessment Team members’ knowledge of other water management
systems, including a comparative analysis of the other five regions studied in
DROP.
In the six regions studied, there are wide varieties of drought measures implemented—involving inter alia and drought prediction models as well as building
infrastructure for improved water level management, natural water retention measures, and farmer-targeted assistance to improve irrigation practices. This variety
13 Towards a Drought Policy in North-West European Regions?
255