Water Governance gaps in the hydrographic basins of Atlantic side in the state of Santa Catarina

Abstract

The local integrated water resources management is mainly carried out through the River Basin Committees (in Portuguese: Comitês de Bacias Hidrográficas). Thus, this study aimed to analyze the existing gaps in water governance in the watersheds of the Atlantic coast of the state of Santa Catarina, from the perception of the members of these groups. For this, 145 members answered a questionnaire that evaluated the perception of Multi-Level Water Governance. Also, the minutes of the ordinary and extraordinary general assemblies of the River Basin Committees from the years 2019 to 2021 were analyzed in order to identify the performance of these groups. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square test. Five hypotheses were tested in order to verify the relationship between the profile, the performance of members, and the level of satisfaction with the River Basin Committees, as well as with governance aspects. The findings reveal that the following gaps are present in the groups of Information, Capacity Building, Administration, Responsibility, Purpose and Financing, to a greater or lesser extent within each River Basin Committee. The results confirmed the five hypotheses, revealing that the profile and performance of the members interfere in their satisfaction and perception in aspects that permeate the issues of water management. This research contributes to help State, policy makers and the committees themselves to act on these gaps, in order to promote improvements in participative, integrated and decentralized water resources management.

Keywords:
water governance; integrated watershed management; watershed committee