Does river basin governance mean wider access to river management? A long-term perspective from the Tennessee, Columbia, and Connecticut Rivers

Despite proponents’ enthusiasm, a growing body of work shows that organizing water management within river basins does not guarantee universal access to decision-making, nor does it provide equal access to river-related resources. Switching to a watershed-based governance system shifts priorities, participants, and practices, but, like any other kind of governance, it furnishes some participants with better access to decision-making than others.