The influence of stakeholder participation on flood risk management: The case of Nijmegen, The Netherlands

In the past few decades, modern flood risk management has emerged with the aim of reducing flood risk without relying only on conventional engineering flood defence solutions. But rather considering other adaptive measures that reduce severity and consequences of floods; such as making more room for the rivers. Therefore, recent years have seen a transition taking place in flood risk management towards participatory, adaptive to climate change, and more natural approach.

Moreover, the recent years have seen a trend towards incorporating citizens in decision making given the widespread recognitions of the importance of stakeholder participation, where it can produce better outcomes for both citizens and governments, in addition to building trust, educate citizens, and other benefits.

Yet top down approaches to water management are still persistent in a manner that impedes the full realization of such transition regardless of the proven benefits of participation; in addition to the lack of empirical studies that address the impact of stakeholder participation on the final decisions in flood risk management and how to translate it into a meaningful and effective participation in practice towards successful flood risk reduction.

Therefore, the aim of this research is to further explain the influence of stakeholder participation on flood risk management project and flood risk reduction. The nature of the research topic and objective and unit of study leads to the selection of case study as the most suitable research strategy, a case study aims towards gaining deeper and richer understanding on the influence of stakeholder participation on flood risk management, all through collecting both qualitative data and quantitative data.

The findings of the research concluded that stakeholder participation largely influence flood risk reduction in flood risk management projects, if implemented in aspects of consultation and participation, but not to the extent of legal standing. where the research considered participation in first two types as a crucial and effective component toward successful flood risk reduction.

On the other hand, the findings concluded that certain aspects of participation can have a slight or negligible effect, which can contribute to impeding the implementation on the account that stakeholders can be more inclined toward their interests rather than reducing the flood risk, especially in the early stages of the project.