Who Are we Measuring and Modeling for? Supporting Multilevel Decision-Making in Watershed Management

Leah L. Bremer; Perrine Hamel; Alexandra G. Ponette-González; Patricia V. Pompeu; Sandra I. Saad; Kate A. Brauman

doi:10.1029/2019WR026011

Who Are we Measuring and Modeling for? Supporting Multilevel Decision-Making in Watershed Management

Leah L. Bremer, Perrine Hamel, Alexandra G. Ponette-González, Patricia V. Pompeu, Sandra I. Saad, Kate A. Brauman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

As watershed management programs have become more common globally, so have efforts to support these initiatives through hydrologic modeling and monitoring. However, these efforts are often guided by oversimplified assumptions of how management programs work and the quantity, quality, and type of information needed to support their planning, implementation, and evaluation. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups with project managers, funders, and participants in three watershed management programs in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil revealed a range of hydrologic modeling and monitoring needs of watershed management programs. We identify five opportunities for hydrologic information to support overlapping management contexts: (1) inspire action and support, (2) inform investment decisions, (3) engage with potential participants, (4) prioritize location and types of activities at regional to national scales, and (5) evaluate program success. Within these opportunities, understanding who will use the information generated and how they will do so is critical to increasing the salience, credibility, and legitimacy of modeling efforts. Hydrologic modeling and monitoring play a small but critical role in the larger context of program conceptualization, design, implementation, and evaluation; grounding these efforts in local contexts supports watershed management projects in relevant and effective ways.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2019WR026011
Journal	Water Resources Research
Volume	56
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR026011
State	Published - Jan 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank the many Water Producer Project managers, project management unit members, participants, and supporters for sharing their experiences and input. In particular, we thank Paulo Petry, Hendrik Mansur, Claudio Klemz, Andre Targa, Samuel Barreto, and Henrique Bracale from The Nature Conservancy; Júlio Cesar, Décio Tubbs, and Caroline Lopes (Guandu Watershed Committee); Marie Ikemoto (INEA); Ronaldo Aruturo Sabion Figueiredo (Municipality of Rio Claro); Kelly Dacol and Rafaela Comparim Santos from EMASA, Iran Bittencourt Borges (formally ITPA); Devanir Garcia dos Santos and Flavio Carvalho (Brazil National Water Agency); Sergio Razera (Agency of PCJ Committee); Paulo Henrique Pereira and Benedito Arlindo Cortez (Municipality of Extrema); Pedro Francez (City Council of Camboriú); Everton Balinski (CIRAM‐EPAGRI); Carla Rosana Krug and Mauro Eichler (FUCAM‐Muncipality of Camboriú); and Patricia Zimmerman (Municipality of Balneário Camboriú); and Susan Suheesen. Finally, we thank the ClimateWIse research team and supporters. Funding for this work was provided by NSF grant 1624329 through the Belmont Forum project ClimateWIse, the São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (grant 2016/13677‐7), and National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program (1557349). This is contributed paper WRRC‐CP‐2020‐07 of the Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. We dedicate this work to Christof Schneider, our colleague and friend who will be greatly missed.

Funding Information:
We thank the many Water Producer Project managers, project management unit members, participants, and supporters for sharing their experiences and input. In particular, we thank Paulo Petry, Hendrik Mansur, Claudio Klemz, Andre Targa, Samuel Barreto, and Henrique Bracale from The Nature Conservancy; J?lio Cesar, D?cio Tubbs, and Caroline Lopes (Guandu Watershed Committee); Marie Ikemoto (INEA); Ronaldo Aruturo Sabion Figueiredo (Municipality of Rio Claro); Kelly Dacol and Rafaela Comparim Santos from EMASA, Iran Bittencourt Borges (formally ITPA); Devanir Garcia dos Santos and Flavio Carvalho (Brazil National Water Agency); Sergio Razera (Agency of PCJ Committee); Paulo Henrique Pereira and Benedito Arlindo Cortez (Municipality of Extrema); Pedro Francez (City Council of Cambori?); Everton Balinski (CIRAM-EPAGRI); Carla Rosana Krug and Mauro Eichler (FUCAM-Muncipality of Cambori?); and Patricia Zimmerman (Municipality of Balne?rio Cambori?); and Susan Suheesen. Finally, we thank the ClimateWIse research team and supporters. Funding for this work was provided by NSF grant 1624329 through the Belmont Forum project ClimateWIse, the S?o Paulo Research Foundation?FAPESP (grant 2016/13677-7), and National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program (1557349). This is contributed paper WRRC-CP-2020-07 of the Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawai?i at M?noa, Honolulu, Hawai?i. We dedicate this work to Christof Schneider, our colleague and friend who will be greatly missed.

Publisher Copyright:
©2020. The Authors.

Keywords

ecosystem services
hydrologic services
modeling
payments for ecosystem services
stakeholder engagement
Watershed management

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10.1029/2019WR026011

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title = "Who Are we Measuring and Modeling for? Supporting Multilevel Decision-Making in Watershed Management",

abstract = "As watershed management programs have become more common globally, so have efforts to support these initiatives through hydrologic modeling and monitoring. However, these efforts are often guided by oversimplified assumptions of how management programs work and the quantity, quality, and type of information needed to support their planning, implementation, and evaluation. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups with project managers, funders, and participants in three watershed management programs in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil revealed a range of hydrologic modeling and monitoring needs of watershed management programs. We identify five opportunities for hydrologic information to support overlapping management contexts: (1) inspire action and support, (2) inform investment decisions, (3) engage with potential participants, (4) prioritize location and types of activities at regional to national scales, and (5) evaluate program success. Within these opportunities, understanding who will use the information generated and how they will do so is critical to increasing the salience, credibility, and legitimacy of modeling efforts. Hydrologic modeling and monitoring play a small but critical role in the larger context of program conceptualization, design, implementation, and evaluation; grounding these efforts in local contexts supports watershed management projects in relevant and effective ways.",

keywords = "ecosystem services, hydrologic services, modeling, payments for ecosystem services, stakeholder engagement, Watershed management",

author = "Bremer, {Leah L.} and Perrine Hamel and Ponette-Gonz{\'a}lez, {Alexandra G.} and Pompeu, {Patricia V.} and Saad, {Sandra I.} and Brauman, {Kate A.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the many Water Producer Project managers, project management unit members, participants, and supporters for sharing their experiences and input. In particular, we thank Paulo Petry, Hendrik Mansur, Claudio Klemz, Andre Targa, Samuel Barreto, and Henrique Bracale from The Nature Conservancy; J{\'u}lio Cesar, D{\'e}cio Tubbs, and Caroline Lopes (Guandu Watershed Committee); Marie Ikemoto (INEA); Ronaldo Aruturo Sabion Figueiredo (Municipality of Rio Claro); Kelly Dacol and Rafaela Comparim Santos from EMASA, Iran Bittencourt Borges (formally ITPA); Devanir Garcia dos Santos and Flavio Carvalho (Brazil National Water Agency); Sergio Razera (Agency of PCJ Committee); Paulo Henrique Pereira and Benedito Arlindo Cortez (Municipality of Extrema); Pedro Francez (City Council of Cambori{\'u}); Everton Balinski (CIRAM‐EPAGRI); Carla Rosana Krug and Mauro Eichler (FUCAM‐Muncipality of Cambori{\'u}); and Patricia Zimmerman (Municipality of Balne{\'a}rio Cambori{\'u}); and Susan Suheesen. Finally, we thank the ClimateWIse research team and supporters. Funding for this work was provided by NSF grant 1624329 through the Belmont Forum project ClimateWIse, the S{\~a}o Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (grant 2016/13677‐7), and National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program (1557349). This is contributed paper WRRC‐CP‐2020‐07 of the Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. We dedicate this work to Christof Schneider, our colleague and friend who will be greatly missed. Funding Information: We thank the many Water Producer Project managers, project management unit members, participants, and supporters for sharing their experiences and input. In particular, we thank Paulo Petry, Hendrik Mansur, Claudio Klemz, Andre Targa, Samuel Barreto, and Henrique Bracale from The Nature Conservancy; J?lio Cesar, D?cio Tubbs, and Caroline Lopes (Guandu Watershed Committee); Marie Ikemoto (INEA); Ronaldo Aruturo Sabion Figueiredo (Municipality of Rio Claro); Kelly Dacol and Rafaela Comparim Santos from EMASA, Iran Bittencourt Borges (formally ITPA); Devanir Garcia dos Santos and Flavio Carvalho (Brazil National Water Agency); Sergio Razera (Agency of PCJ Committee); Paulo Henrique Pereira and Benedito Arlindo Cortez (Municipality of Extrema); Pedro Francez (City Council of Cambori?); Everton Balinski (CIRAM-EPAGRI); Carla Rosana Krug and Mauro Eichler (FUCAM-Muncipality of Cambori?); and Patricia Zimmerman (Municipality of Balne?rio Cambori?); and Susan Suheesen. Finally, we thank the ClimateWIse research team and supporters. Funding for this work was provided by NSF grant 1624329 through the Belmont Forum project ClimateWIse, the S?o Paulo Research Foundation?FAPESP (grant 2016/13677-7), and National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program (1557349). This is contributed paper WRRC-CP-2020-07 of the Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawai?i at M?noa, Honolulu, Hawai?i. We dedicate this work to Christof Schneider, our colleague and friend who will be greatly missed. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright}2020. The Authors.",

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doi = "10.1029/2019WR026011",

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T1 - Who Are we Measuring and Modeling for? Supporting Multilevel Decision-Making in Watershed Management

AU - Bremer, Leah L.

AU - Hamel, Perrine

AU - Ponette-González, Alexandra G.

AU - Pompeu, Patricia V.

AU - Saad, Sandra I.

AU - Brauman, Kate A.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the many Water Producer Project managers, project management unit members, participants, and supporters for sharing their experiences and input. In particular, we thank Paulo Petry, Hendrik Mansur, Claudio Klemz, Andre Targa, Samuel Barreto, and Henrique Bracale from The Nature Conservancy; Júlio Cesar, Décio Tubbs, and Caroline Lopes (Guandu Watershed Committee); Marie Ikemoto (INEA); Ronaldo Aruturo Sabion Figueiredo (Municipality of Rio Claro); Kelly Dacol and Rafaela Comparim Santos from EMASA, Iran Bittencourt Borges (formally ITPA); Devanir Garcia dos Santos and Flavio Carvalho (Brazil National Water Agency); Sergio Razera (Agency of PCJ Committee); Paulo Henrique Pereira and Benedito Arlindo Cortez (Municipality of Extrema); Pedro Francez (City Council of Camboriú); Everton Balinski (CIRAM‐EPAGRI); Carla Rosana Krug and Mauro Eichler (FUCAM‐Muncipality of Camboriú); and Patricia Zimmerman (Municipality of Balneário Camboriú); and Susan Suheesen. Finally, we thank the ClimateWIse research team and supporters. Funding for this work was provided by NSF grant 1624329 through the Belmont Forum project ClimateWIse, the São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (grant 2016/13677‐7), and National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program (1557349). This is contributed paper WRRC‐CP‐2020‐07 of the Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. We dedicate this work to Christof Schneider, our colleague and friend who will be greatly missed. Funding Information: We thank the many Water Producer Project managers, project management unit members, participants, and supporters for sharing their experiences and input. In particular, we thank Paulo Petry, Hendrik Mansur, Claudio Klemz, Andre Targa, Samuel Barreto, and Henrique Bracale from The Nature Conservancy; J?lio Cesar, D?cio Tubbs, and Caroline Lopes (Guandu Watershed Committee); Marie Ikemoto (INEA); Ronaldo Aruturo Sabion Figueiredo (Municipality of Rio Claro); Kelly Dacol and Rafaela Comparim Santos from EMASA, Iran Bittencourt Borges (formally ITPA); Devanir Garcia dos Santos and Flavio Carvalho (Brazil National Water Agency); Sergio Razera (Agency of PCJ Committee); Paulo Henrique Pereira and Benedito Arlindo Cortez (Municipality of Extrema); Pedro Francez (City Council of Cambori?); Everton Balinski (CIRAM-EPAGRI); Carla Rosana Krug and Mauro Eichler (FUCAM-Muncipality of Cambori?); and Patricia Zimmerman (Municipality of Balne?rio Cambori?); and Susan Suheesen. Finally, we thank the ClimateWIse research team and supporters. Funding for this work was provided by NSF grant 1624329 through the Belmont Forum project ClimateWIse, the S?o Paulo Research Foundation?FAPESP (grant 2016/13677-7), and National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program (1557349). This is contributed paper WRRC-CP-2020-07 of the Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawai?i at M?noa, Honolulu, Hawai?i. We dedicate this work to Christof Schneider, our colleague and friend who will be greatly missed. Publisher Copyright: ©2020. The Authors.

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Who Are we Measuring and Modeling for? Supporting Multilevel Decision-Making in Watershed Management

Abstract

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