Changes in Water Resources Systems: Methodologies to Maintain Water Security and Ensure Integrated Management (Proceedings of Symposium HS3006 at IUGG2007, Perugia, July 2007).  IAHS Publ. 315, 2007, 186-191


 

Perspectives on future flood management: discovering patterns of thinking

 

G. TOM RAADGEVER1, GERT BECKER2 & ERIK MOSTERT1

1 Water Resources, TU Delft, PO Box 5048, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands

g.t.raadgever@tudelft.nl

2 Institute for Environmental Studies, VU Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

 

Abstract This paper presents the different perspectives on future flood management in the Lower Rhine region, based on the results of a series of interviews and a Q-sort. Both were conducted in preparation of a series of stakeholder workshops supported by expert modelling. The interviews were conducted to explore the personal perspectives of Dutch and German stakeholders concerning flood management on the Lower Rhine. The Q-sort allowed for a structured identification of common ground and distinct patterns of thinking. Three patterns were identified, which can be referred to as ‘Guaranteed safety’, ‘Risk acceptance’ and ‘Spatial solutions’.

 

Key words  flood management; future; interview; perspectives; Q-sort; Rhine; transboundary