From Concrete to Nature: Navigating Paradigm Shifts in River Management Through a Sustainability Lens
Journal
River Research and Applications
ISSN
1535-1459
1535-1467
Date Issued
2025-02-04
Author(s)
Chia-Chi Lee
Hsin-Yi Hsueh
Ya-Wen Ku
Shih-Yun Kuo
Kuo-Ching Huang
Wei-Cheng Lo
Jing-Chein Lu
Yung-Chen Cheng
Yi-Chang Chiang
Chao-Pin Yeh
Wen-Hsiao Tseng
Yan-Liang Hung
Wen-Sen Lee
DOI
10.1002/rra.4427
Abstract
“Sustainable river management” (SRM) and “paradigm shifts in river management” (PSRM) are frequently employed in the field of river management, widely recognized by both researchers and policymakers. However, past studies often present these concepts as implicitly understood, typically addressing one in isolation without exploring the interrelationship between the two or their combined potential as a comprehensive analytical tool for practical river management. This paper aims to elucidate the connection between SRM and PSRM, proposing an integrated framework to enhance the analysis of river management practices. Using Taiwan's Keelung River as a case study, the findings reveal that the river's management history can be divided into four paradigms: “structural emergency measures,” “dominant structural measures,” “integrated water management,” and ultimately, SRM. Each paradigm reflects the negotiations, compromises, and coordination efforts of stakeholders at that time, with enduring influence on the Keelung River today. While historically effective, the long-standing preference for flood control through levee construction now struggles to address the challenges posed by short-duration extreme rainfall and emerging environmental and ecological management needs, testing the adaptive capacities of both central and local governments.
Subjects
climate change adaptation
nature-based solutions (NBS)
paradigm shifts in river management (PSRM)
path dependency
resilience
socio-ecological systems
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
sustainable river management (SRM)
Publisher
Wiley
Type
journal article