Gemeenschapsontwikkeling Climate Adaptive Water Hubs (GO-CAWH)

Commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat, this project aims to formulate a framework for community engagement in managing water imbalances. The project addresses challenges often encountered in participatory initiatives, such as difficulties in scaling or insufficient understanding of institutional dynamics. In this research, we examine how insights from institutional analysis can enhance participatory projects to conduct meaningful interventions. This approach positions designers as intermediaries between local communities and top-down decision-makers.

In collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and Coöperatie Kloostersland.

The project, commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat, places an emphasis on involving communities in the construction of climate-adaptive water hubs. It begins with the understanding that our current water consumption surpasses planetary limits, leading to a growing disparity between available water from rivers and rainfall, the consequences of droughts, and the increasing demands from local sources. To tackle this issue, the project proposes connecting water infrastructure with road systems as a means to effectively handle significant runoff during intense rainfall. This integrated strategy holds promise for evolving into a robust water hub capable of adapting to the challenges posed by climate change.

University of Groningen / Faculty of Spatial Sciences, Spatial Planning and Environment, Design Academy Eindhoven, and Coöperatie Kloostersland have been commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat to research this problem from a community engagement perspective. We are particularly interested in how our institutions/cooperations (DAE, RUG, and CK) use different focuses and methods in a complementary way as a means to generate knowledge and create conditions for institutional change. While RUG utilises an institutional framework and engages with relevant actors to connect infrastructure with the environment, DAE focuses on the knowledge of local communities and seeks to reveal opportunities in the area by connecting actors in novel ways. DAE’s methodology and approach are more interventionist and future-oriented. In contrast, RUG conducts a scientific and analytical investigation into the ‘state of the art’ and works from there towards a desired situation. Collaborating with CK, which has pragmatic knowledge and methods, could lead to relevant knowledge exchange regarding the rules of the game and how the game is played.

At Design Academy Eindhoven, the investigation into water imbalances along the 12 km highway in Oirschot municipality began with comprehensive desk research, mapping the area and actors. Identifying focus areas related to water issues, distinctions were made between farming enterprises, industrial zones, nature, water storage capacity, and interdependencies among citizens.

The inventory of actors included spatial and consumption relationships, examining dependency relationships with a focus on actors experiencing water shortages or considering water as a  connecting factor. Exploratory desk research established the scope of actors, which will be refined through collaborative exploratory field research.

A stakeholder analysis followed, evaluating each stakeholder’s ‘stake’ in the water imbalance issue. Placing actors on a coordinate system, stakeholders were assessed based on their importance regarding water and their water usage. This initial assessment provided insights into the relative significance of different stakeholders in addressing the water issue. A dependency indication was then created, considering factors like water dependency, usage, and retention. This preliminary setup aimed to determine the extent of each actor’s contribution to the problem and their involvement in potential solutions. Further refinement is needed, particularly in incorporating the type and quality of water in this inventory.

The research progressed to conducting interviews with a “What if…Indication” approach, presenting future scenarios to actors and having them position themselves on the coordinate system. This method not only captures their placement but also delves into the reasoning behind their responses and their positioning relative to other actors. These interviews aim to provide a nuanced understanding of actors’ perspectives and contribute to in-depth insights into their roles in addressing the water imbalance issue. The collaboration with RUG and CK involves integrating their identified actors into the coordinate system, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder importance from different institutional perspectives.