Table 2 Governance survey description and indicator questions for the Se Kong, Se San and Sre Pok (3S) Rivers’ stakeholders.

Enabling Environment

Water Resources Management

Integrated water resources management is a guiding framework for coordinating both development and management of all resources within a basin, to maximize welfare without compromising ecological sustainability. In some cases, a single agency, such as a river basin authority, is responsible for coordinating and overseeing these functions; the questions below focus on the specific functions as managed within your jurisdiction (e.g., transnational, national or provincial) regardless of whether they are all carried out by the same agency

(a) Policies and actions to advance water resource development and management are coordinated

1. Function is almost never satisfactory (without conflicts among stakeholder groups)

(b) Infrastructure such as dams, reservoirs, and treatment plants are centrally managed or coordinated

2. Function is rarely satisfactory

(c) Financial resources are mobilized to support water resource development and management needs

3. Function is sometimes (~ 50%) satisfactory

(d) Ecosystems conservation priorities are developed and actions implemented

4. Function is often satisfactory

5. Function is almost always satisfactory

Financial Capacity

Water resource development and management is often under-financed, particularly for services that do not generate revenue, such as ecosystem protection. Although financial capacity can be measured directly as a function of existing allocations relative to estimated budget needs, qualitative information is also useful in providing insights and identifying priorities

(a) Level of investment in water supply development

1. Level is very unsatisfactory

(b) Level of investment in service delivery systems

2. Level is unsatisfactory

(c) Level of investment in wastewater handling and treatment

3. Level is satisfactory

(d) Level of investment in ecosystem conservation and rehabilitation

4. Level is very satisfactory

(e) level of investment in monitoring and enforcement

5. Level is extremely satisfactory

Stakeholder Engagement

Information Access and Knowledge

Sound water governance requires information on a range of topics and from many sources. Even in cases where data and information are abundant, if they are not made accessible (across agencies, with citizens, etc.) then they are less likely to aid in wise decision making

(a) Information is accessible to interested stakeholders

1. Level is very unsatisfactory

(b) Information meets expected quality standards, in terms of frequency, level of detail, and subjects of interest to stakeholders

2. Level is unsatisfactory

(c) Information is transparently sourced

3. Level is satisfactory

(d) All available, sound and relevant information is routinely applied in decision-making

4. Level is very satisfactory

5. Level is extremely satisfactory

Effectiveness

Enforcement and Compliance

In many societies, there is a gap between laws and their actual enforcement, reflecting either insufficient capacity or a lack of accountability. Enforcement and compliance can be ensured through fines, incentives, or social pressure, but weak enforcement leads to poor management and a lack of confidence in the system

(a) Surface water abstraction guidelines are enforced

1. Enforcement is very poor or no guidelines (formal or informal) exist

(b) Groundwater abstraction guidelines are enforced

2. Enforcement is poor

(c) Flow requirement guidelines are enforced

3. Enforcement is acceptable

(d) Water quality guidelines are enforced

4. Enforcement is good

(e) Land use guidelines are enforced

5. Enforcement is very good

Distribution of Benefits from Ecosystem Services

Equity is an important issue in water resource management, most closely associated with access to safe water and sanitation. Here we extend the concept to include all benefits from ecosystem services in the basin (water and sanitation, fisheries, flood mitigation, water quality maintenance, disease regulation, and cultural services)

(a) Economically vulnerable populations benefit from ecosystem services

1. Their share of benefits is almost never adequate

(b) Indigenous people benefit from ecosystem services

2. Their share of benefits is rarely adequate

(c) Women and girls benefit from ecosystem services

3. Their share of benefits is sometimes (~ 50%) adequate

(d) Resource-dependent communities benefit from ecosystem services

4. Their share of benefits is often adequate

5. Their share of benefits is almost always adequate

Water-related conflict

Tensions among stakeholders are expected when there is competition for scarce resources such as water. An effective governance system should prevent tensions from escalating into conflicts, here defined as a difference that prevents agreement, and therefore delays or undermines a decision taken with the basin

(a) Frequency of conflict due to overlapping jurisdictions (e.g., between national governments in transboundary systems, provincial and national government, or between agencies)

1. Conflicts almost always occur

(b) Frequency of conflict about water rights allocation

2. Conflicts often occur

(c) Frequency of conflict about access

3. Conflicts sometimes occur

d) Frequency of conflict regarding the siting of infrastructure

4. Conflicts rarely occur

(e) Frequency of conflict over water quality and other downstream negative impacts

5. Conflicts almost never occur

Vision and Adaptive Governance

Strategic Planning and Adaptive Governance

Comprehensive planning is the process of developing goals and objectives concerning water quantity and quality, surface and groundwater use, land use change, river basin ecology, and multiple stakeholders’ needs. Adaptive management refers to the ability to handle changes, unintended consequences, or surprises to the water resource system through updating planning and processes using new information

(a) A shared vision is established and used to set objectives and guide future development

1. Process is almost never comprehensive, or does not occur at all

(b) The existence and use of strategic planning mechanisms

2. Process is rarely comprehensive

(c) The existence and use of an adaptive management framework

3. Process is sometimes (~ 50%) comprehensive

4. Process is often comprehensive

5. Process is almost always comprehensive