Improving the Effectiveness of Collaborative Governance Regimes: Lessons from Watershed Partnerships

Abstract

While it has become more commonplace as an environmental management strategy, few empirical studies have evaluated the environmental performance of collaborative governance regimes. Using watershed management as an example, this study tests the effectiveness of a collection of collaboration components included in the Integrative Collaborative Governance Regime framework for achieving environmental improvement goals using the EPA’s watershed-based approach. Coupling survey measures of collaboration dynamics with empirical assessments of environmental performance, this research offers evidence on the importance of specific collaborative elements and provides public managers with guidance to improve performance and achieve goals. Correlation analyses revealed the importance of monetary and technical resources to watershed partnerships’ environmental performance, validating previous literary assumptions. This study also uncovered an incongruence between participants’ acceptance of assigned roles and responsibilities within the watershed partnership and achievement of watershed improvement goals. This suggests that it is not enough to get the right people to the table—they must also be assigned the right roles.