Water Planning Tools
>> critical times <> practical measures <<Archive for public participation
Designer Carrots: The National Market-Based Instruments Forum
John Mackenzie from the Collaborative Water Planning Project delivered a presentation at the Designer Carrots: National Market-Based Instruments Forum on the role of social research in the development and delivery of market-based approaches to resource management. John’s presentation highlighted the importance of understanding social drivers, values and aspirations as the basis for enhancing participation in market-based instruments (or MBIs). He also explored established techniques of communication and social marketing for improving the design and delivery of MBIs for the achievement of desired resource condition improvements.
More information on the Designer Carrots National Forum
About Designer Carrots
The Designer Carrots program arose out of the National Market Based Instruments (MBIs) Pilot Program Round Two selection process. During the selection process, the selection advisory panel identified the need for a National MBI Capacity Building Program as they felt additional capacity building was essential to increase the potential for widespread success of well-designed MBIs for natural resource management (NRM).
The $1.2 million national MBI Capacity Building Program, which runs under the banner of Designer Carrots, is developing a number of products to help regional NRM groups and government policy makers build their capacity to better understand and use MBIs as an incentive to encourage land managers to implement best practice NRM.
International River Symposium
Two researchers from the Collaborative Water Planning Project are presenting the key findings on risk and community participation for water planning at this week’s 11th International Riversymposium – an event held as part of Brisbane’s Riverfestival.
More Seats, More Tables: Methods for enhancing public participation in water planning & management
John Mackenzie
The proliferation of tools, tool-kits and tool-boxes for community participation presents a series of dilemmas for contemporary water management practioners looking to engage the community in water management. How are we to decide which approach is right for different circumstances, different planning needs and with different sectors of the community? This presentation explores the development of a fit-for-purpose framework for community participation, which attempts to outline how to select from the range of engagement approaches available based on needs assessment and adaptive management methodologies.
The Risk in Water Planning
Claudia Baldwin & Mark Hampstead
Water planning is a key means of achieving the objectives of Australia’s National Water Initiative and one of the most important tools for achieving sustainable use of water. It is also a critical vehicle for consideration of climate variability and climate change in planning and managing for future use and environmental protection. This paper draws from our review of water allocation planning in Australia, undertaken for National Water Commission in the latter half of 2007. The review gathered information from documents, planners and stakeholders to identify best practices and lessons learned. Eleven case studies from States and the Northern Territory were used to illustrate the strengths and challenges of planning processes in delivering desired outcomes. The focus in this paper is on how governments in Australia have addressed climate variability and climate change in water planning to date. We review current approaches to managing climate risks and suggest a range of options for responding to this challenge within the water planning framework. In doing so, we explore risk assessment, future scenario development, contingency planning and adaptive management and highlight the role for transparency, public involvement, and assessment of possible impacts through this process.
About The International RiverSymposium
The International Riversymposium is part of Riverfestival – Brisbane’s community and environmental festival celebrating our waterways and culture by focusing on the city’s signature natural landmark, the Brisbane River. The festival is 10 days of a diverse program at the start of spring with music, visual arts, film, forums, education projects, dining, culture, large-scale free outdoor events and recreation.
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Ord Water Resource Plan
As part of the retrospective analysis of Phase One of the Collaborative Water Planning Project, the water resource plan for the Ord Case study region was reviewed.
Download the Water Planning in the Ord River Report (PDF, 1.03MB)
In this report, the collaborative components of the water planning process in the Ord River of Western Australia are considered against four criteria for the effectiveness of collaboration:
- as a mechanism of improved decision-making, including governance, due process and the reconcilliation of competing knowledge claims
- as a facilitator of social process, including improving social learning, relationships and mitigating conflict
- as a means of improving outcomes, including efficiency, equity, and social perception
- as a pathway for catalytic changes in the community
On the basis of this analysis, the report documents a series of barriers and enablers experienced by water planners and the community for enhancing the collaborative nature of water planning.
Download the Water Planning in the Ord River Report (PDF, 1.03MB)
External Links
Western Australian Department of Water Ord River Water Resource Plan
Queensland Gulf Catchments Water Resource Plan
As part of the retrospective analysis of Phase One, the project reviewed the water planning process in the Gulf of Carpentaria undertaken between 2003 and 2007 by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water.
Download the Water Planning in the Gulf of Carpentaria Report (PDF, 1.13MB)
In this report, the collaborative components of the water planning process in the Gulf are considered against four criteria for the effectiveness of collaboration:
- as a mechanism of improved decision-making, including governance, due process and the reconcilliation of competing knowledge claims
- as a facilitator of social process, including improving social learning, relationships and mitigating conflict
- as a means of improving outcomes, including efficiency, equity, and social perception
- as a pathway for catalytic changes in the community
On the basis of this analysis, the report documents a series of barriers and enablers experienced by water planners and the community for enhancing the collaborative nature of water planning.
Download the Water Planning in the Gulf of Carpentaria Report (PDF, 1.13MB)
External Links
Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water Gulf Plan
