Analysis of water governance through the robustness framework: the case of the Epitácio Pessoa Reservoir, PB, Brazil

Abstract

Water governance is associated with the way that society uses and conserves its resources. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze it in order to achieve more robust water systems. This research applied the robustness framework of social-ecological systems as a methodological tool to evaluate the water system composed of the Epitácio Pessoa Reservoir, in the Paraíba State, and its governance. The number of users, the different uses and the institutional arrangement are aspects that add complexity to the analyzed system. It is also impacted by several exogenous factors, such as droughts. Even so, many of the interactions between the components of governance have been classified as positive, helping to ensure robustness in the systemic dynamics. The robustness framework proved to be efficient to represent the interactions between the system components and allowed to define some challenges for governance, such as the capacity to adapt.