“the Bigger Picture Beyond the Pump”: Engaging Farmer’s in Collaborative Groundwater Management in California

In response to the limitations of the "open-access" groundwater management regime, exacerbated by climate change, many countries are shifting towards a regulated access paradigm (Rouillard et al., 2021). This new governance approach ranges from "state-centered" to "collaborative management" or "comanagement" (Molle, Closas, 2020), where farmers must now cooperate with stakeholders representing diverse interests (drinking water supply, protection of groundwater-dependent ecosystems, etc.). In California, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 embodies this shift, with the creation of Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, responsible for developing sustainable management plans that engage a wide variety of stakeholders.

Based on a qualitative survey (~50 interviews) conducted in two groundwater basins in California, we examine how this new governance effectively involves farmers in the development of communities of interest and collective action for sustainable groundwater management. Our analysis focuses on two key aspects:

• First, we evaluate the social learning outcomes of the participatory process, examining how this experience contributes to foster a shared understanding of an invisible and complex resource, deeply intertwined with socio-economic and political dimensions. Specifically, we investigate how the process facilitated the co-construction of a common vision regarding groundwater dynamics, the interdependencies between groundwater and surface water, and the relationships among various water users - capturing the "bigger picture beyond the pump". Additionally, we examine how this collaborative effort was able to build new forms of cooperation, grounded in mutual recognition of legitimacy, and the creation of shared values.
• Second, we explore how this process challenges collectives and communities of interest within the farming community itself. Participation reshapes relationships among farmers - between large and small farms, and farmers with different practices and environmental sensitivities. It redefines collective action, reinforcing or creating coalitions of interests, and elaborating new strategies to protect farmer’s “water rights”, in the face of evolving political dynamics.