Systems Thinking in Water Governance: The Thematic and Spatial Integration of Water-Related Challenges on a Regional Scale
Summary
The accumulation of water-related challenges in the Netherlands, in combination with other societal challenges, presents spatial issues. There is an urgent need to align water and land use with the evolving hydrological conditions. Contemporary water governance often remains fragmented across institutions, overlooking the interconnectedness that all elements of the water system inherently share. This, together with the inherent scarcity of space, leads to the premise that water-related challenges would benefit from integration—both in terms of organisation and practically, in space. However, the extent of integration and the drivers of integration in regional water governance are unclear. To that end, this research explores integration between water-related challenges and land use through a theoretical lens that combines the role of power dynamics in water governance and the individual perspective on interconnectedness. The regional scale is central, as water-related challenges meet the spatial planning domain here. This research draws on desk research, 7 participatory observations, and 12 expert interviews across two case studies: Regional Delta Programme Maas and Regional Delta Programme Zuidwestelijke Delta.
The results indicate that while communication and inter-actor relationships are strong, integration remains limited due to minimal mindset alignment, shared funding, and rule-based mechanisms. Effective communication is largely driven by the recognition among water experts of the numerous interconnections between water-related challenges—most notably flood safety, freshwater availability, water quality, and ecology—and their links to both economic and non-economic functions. Although the spatial implications of these challenges are widely acknowledged, spatial integration—i.e., combining measures for multiple challenges within the same area—is rarely achieved. Limited mindset alignment is primarily due to conflicting timelines and ideologies, with housing and agricultural interests often dominating political debates around land use. In addition, the unequal distribution of resources and lack of rule-based mechanisms hinder integration. Flood safety benefits from the strongest financial, technical, and institutional capacities, while other themes lack comparable support. This limits the capacity for integration between water governance actors and practically, in space.
It is concluded that both agency, through perception of interconnectedness, and structure, through power dynamics, shape the capacity for integration. While recognition of interconnections can promote integration, structural power imbalances more often constrain it. Combining water-related challenges in strategy and in space remains difficult in practice. To strengthen integration, the study recommends establishing flexible funding mechanisms and fostering mutual understanding among actors.