First Advisor

Veronica Dujon

Term of Graduation

Summer 2001

Date of Publication

6-29-2001

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Sociology

Department

Sociology

Language

English

Subjects

Water rights -- Oregon, Community development -- Oregon, Tenmile Creek (Or) -- Water rights

DOI

10.15760/etd.4160

Physical Description

1 online resource (v, 99 pages)

Abstract

This thesis examines the complex conflict over water rights at Tenmile Creek, located along the south central Oregon Coast. The research is an exploratory case study identifying the main motivations of actors, the constraints they faced, and the conditions that encouraged or dissuaded collaborative behavior.

The main objectives are (1) to refine the understanding of the relationship between societies and their physical environment in market societies that are both motivated to exploit and preserve natural resources and, (2) to explore the kinds of institutional arrangements that may be required to manage the water supply in a collaborative and sustainable manner.

A number of opposing groups expressed conflicting needs for the water rights at Tenmile Creek. In addition industrial economic development in surrounding areas combined with increasing environmental regulations to protect threatened and endangered species are challenging the balance between growing populations, water allocation, and water scarcity.

Tenmile Creek was selected as a case study because it illustrates the increasing difficulties faced by competing users of natural resources in an era of "ecological scarcity." Tenmile Creek is a complex multiple use resource, which is considered a preferred unit of analysis because it reflects the reality of the increasing complexity involved in the use and management of natural resources.

Findings from this research articulate the difficulties stakeholders faced in reaching a widely acceptable resolution. The analysis was based on 12 in-depth face-to-face interviews. The data suggests that the scope of possible resolutions can not achieved because the process is constrained by outdated and ambiguous water law. In addition, overlapping state and federal jurisdictions encourage water conflicts, in an age where defining what is in the publics interest is challenged. Federal mandates widen the public interest to reflect a shifting relationship with the surrounding physical environment. State laws however, seem to be the most problematic and inflexible. An integration of federal advancements, in an effort to reform and update state water law would reflect a more accurate and widely accepted definition the public interest in the twenty-first century.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44713

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