# **Contents**

|**RIVER BASINS MAP LOCATOR............................................................................................................. 3**|
|---|
|**1. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 4**|
|**2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK.......................................................................................................... 6**|
|2.1 CONTEXTUALFACTORS ANDINITIALCONDITIONS............................................................................... 7<br>|
|_Level of economic development in the nation ....................................................................................... 7_|
|_Level of economic development of the river basin ................................................................................ 8_<br>|
|_Distribution of resources among basin stakeholders............................................................................ 8_|
|_Social and cultural distinctions among stakeholders............................................................................ 9_|
|_Local experience with self-governance and service provision.............................................................. 9_|
|2.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DECENTRALIZATION PROCESS................................................................... 10|
|_“Top-down,” “bottom-up,” or mutually desired devolution .............................................................. 10_<br>|
|_Incorporation or involvement of existing local governance arrangements ........................................ 10_|
|_Consistent central government policy commitment ............................................................................ 11_|
|2.3 CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND BASIN-LEVEL RELATIONSHIPS AND CAPACITIES.................................... 11|
|_The extent of actual devolution ........................................................................................................... 11_|
|_Financial resources and autonomy at the basin level......................................................................... 12_<br>|
|_Basin-level authority to create and modify institutional arrangements.............................................. 13_|
|_Distribution of national-level political influence among stakeholders ............................................... 13_|
|_Characteristics of the water rights system.......................................................................................... 14_|
|_Adequate time for implementation and adaptation............................................................................. 14_|
|2.4 THE INTERNAL CONFIGURATION OF BASIN-LEVEL INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS........................... 15|
|_Presence of basin-level governance institutions................................................................................. 15_|
|_Clarity of institutional boundaries and match to basin boundaries.................................................... 15_|
|_Recognition of sub-basin communities of interest............................................................................... 16_|
|_Availability of fora for information sharing and communication ....................................................... 16_|
|_Availability of fora for conflict resolution .......................................................................................... 16_|
|**3. CASE STUDY METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................... 17**|
|**4. SUMMARY DATA ON CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RIVER BASIN ORGANIZATIONS,**|
|**DECENTRALIZATION REFORMS, AND APPROACHES TO STAKEHOLDER**|
|**INVOLVEMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 17**|
|**5. OVERALL FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................. 23**|
|**6. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND RESEARCH ......................................................................... 35**|
|**REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 36**|
|**APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................. 38**|

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