Graduate Project
 

Western U.S. Water Utilities and Adaptive Capacity: A Case Study

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_projects/v979vb44w

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  • Water in the U.S. West faces considerable challenges and uncertainties. Climate change has intensified weather extremes, threatening the water sources that support the region’s many stakeholders. Urban water providers are among the stakeholders contending with the challenge of providing reliable water supplies to their growing populations. Recognizing the critical role that institutions play in building societal resilience, this research studies the institution of urban water providers and their capacity to adapt to climate change. It poses to the research question: which characteristics of Western urban water utilities either support or impede their institutional capacity to adapt to climate change? To investigate this question, the research conducts a case study of public water utilities located in three mid-size urban areas: Denver, CO, Salt Lake City, UT, and Portland, OR. The Adaptive Capacity Wheel (ACW) developed by Gupta et al (2010) provides a framework to assess how the characteristics of each institution influence its adaptive capacity. Through a review of documents and interviews with water professionals, the research finds that the adaptive capacity of Western urban water utilities is generally robust, especially in relation to leadership. However, challenges for adaptive capacity remain, notably in the availability of resources. This research brings together literature on water resource management and adaptive capacity, and applies it within the context of the U.S. West, for the purpose of guiding Western water utilities in enhancing their institutional resilience to climate change.
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