Loving Water, Resenting Regulation: Sense of Place and Water Management in the Willamette Watershed

Abstract

Although the Pacific Northwest is often associated with abundant water and images of wide, salmon-filled rivers, water-related conflicts throughout the region are not uncommon as adequate supplies fall short of increasing demand. This article investigates water stakeholders’ perceptions of local waters and their water-related behaviors within the Willamette watershed of western Oregon. I conducted 25 interviews with key users of the Willamette watershed's water supply. My analyses of these data suggest that stakeholders perceive water as a scarce resource. In addition, the participants indicated strong attachments to local water bodies but demonstrated little incentive in making personal sacrifices to safeguard these “scarce” water supplies. Given that equitable water distribution is a present and growing concern, this case study contributes to a body of knowledge that legitimizes direct experience in shaping resource management, as well as illuminates the complicated relationship between place attachment and environmental behaviors.