| Water management in southern Alberta between the 1890s and 1992 has been remarkably stable. Irrigation was the predominant use during this period. The dominant approach to water management was regulation and control of streams in order to manage supplies. However, starting in the late 1960s, several important changes occurred which challenged this stable pattern. The aim in this research was twofold: (1) to explain why and how stability occurred between the 1890s and 1992, and (2) to explain why and how changes occurred starting in the late 1960s.;Between the 1890s and 1992, proponents of irrigation and the dominant water management approach continually supported a set of generalized ideas about these activities. Together, these ideas comprised the "traditional paradigm." Proponents of the traditional paradigm drew upon its ideas to guide their behaviour, and, consequently, reproduced or entrenched the ideas. The reproduction process was facilitated by general considerations such as prevailing attitudes towards the environment, and specific factors such as Alberta's rosy financial situation during the 1970s. This explanation derives from structuration theory.;Changes that took place starting in the late 1960s included river basin planning, increased public participation, attention to instream flow needs, and unprecedented questioning or the traditional approach to water management. These occurred for various reasons, such as the diffusion of water management innovations, resource scarcity, and changes in the composition of Alberta society. A minority of the changes challenged the traditional paradigm; most were compatible.;The analysis shows that a systematic explanation of stability in social systems is possible, without having to refer to stabilizing entities. Also, the evidence indicates that change does not have to be an all or nothing proposition, in which the old ways are replaced with new ones in a paradigm shift. Regarding Alberta water management, the research suggests that the continued predominance of the traditional paradigm will curtail the future range of choice. However, with modifications, the traditional paradigm can be compatible with contemporary principles of water management. |
