Multi-level water governance without integrated water resources management (IWRM): cooperation in the Columbia River Basin

Governança hídrica multinível sem gestão integrada de recursos hídricos (GIRH): cooperação na Bacia do Rio Colúmbia

Gobernanza del agua multinivel sin gestión integrada de los recursos hídricos (GIRH): cooperación en la Cuenca del Río Columbia

Abstract

International basins are divided into sub-basins that can be managed at the international, national and local levels, separately or together. Regarding the international level, many actors, beyond the States, participate in water management. This work is a case study on the Columbia River Basin (CRB), which is shared by the United States and Canada and its waters drain off into the Pacific Ocean. There are two theoretical foundations: multi-level governance and integrated water resources management (IWRM). Then, this work will demonstrate the impossibility of implementing IWRM in the CRB, even though there is multi-level governance within it, which allows cooperation between the United States and Canada, avoiding the risk of conflict in this basin.

Keywords:
Multi-level governance; integrated water resources management; transboundary waters; Columbia River Basin; cooperation